Heart Of Darkness
by LustAndLove
Summary: I've been waiting for her for over four thousands years and now, she's about to be taken away from me. In order to save her life, I must do the one thing I swore I'd never do...I must hurt her. It is the only way to keep her safe. She will never forgive me; I will never forgive myself...but she will live and in the end, that's all that matters./ Spin Off to Forever Mine!
1. Prologue

**Hey, fellow readers! Welcome to my new story! Before you dig in, I'd just like to point out that this is a Spin-off to one of my other stories, titled _Forever Mine_. I do suggest reading _Forever Mine_ first. Without the background of _Forever Mine_ , it might be hard (if not impossible) to get into _this_ story. **

**If you _do_ decide to tackle _Heart Of Darkness_ without reading the story where these characters originated and you don't know what the hell is going on, you can find me on Twitter ( LustAndLoveFF) and you can hit me with your questions there! I check that account every day (I created it exclusively for FanFiction) and I'd be more than happy to help out! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Heart of darkness**

 **Prologue**

The air was musty and warm; the soft, silver light from the moon that shone through the open curtains doing little to pierce the darkness. Adrianna had no idea where she was. She'd never been in this room before, she'd never seen the red, velvet chaise longue that stood in the center of it and she'd never gazed up at such a beautiful arched ceiling...and yet, she felt at home.

Because _he_ was there.

She couldn't see him yet, but she knew he was near, hiding in the shadows, watching her. She could _feel_ him. Shivering, she hugged herself, surprised when her hands touched bare skin. Looking down, she found she was wearing a cream-colored satin-and-lace negligee, the sexy kind that she would never buy in real life...and yet, here, she loved it. _This_ was were she could let go, where she could be free and like other girls, if just for a few hours.

"You look beautiful."

His warm, deep voice behind her made every cell in her body vibrate. Aching, she turned, her heart leaping when she saw him, leaning back against a pillar, his black eyes simmering on hers. He was wearing a pair of dress pants with a white button-down shirt tonight and _that_ combined with his black hair and those muscles which she knew were hidden underneath the fabric...made it even harder to breath.

"Hi," was all she managed to say.

He growled softly and then, he was in front of her, kissing her in a way no man had _ever_ kissed her. His lips molded against hers with just the right amount of pressure, one hand softly brushing the exposed flesh of her back as the other found her raven curls. It didn't feel like just a kiss, it never did...It felt like he was worshipping her, like she was important, treasured.

When he released her lips, he kept his forehead pressed against hers, his warm breath feathering her skin as he whispered, "Hello, Cara."

She smiled. Growing up in Italy, she'd had many men call her _Cara -_ meaning _Beloved_ \- and she'd never like it...but when _he_ said it, it made her melt.

Letting out a deep breath, she pressed herself closer against him, slipping effortlessly into his arms. " _God_ , I needed this."

"You sound distressed," he rumbled, his fingers slowly stroking her back, setting her skin ablaze. "Did something happen?"

She shrugged, breathing in the smell that was so intricately _his._ She'd never smelled anything like him and something told her she never would again. There weren't words to describe the musk that clung to him, the scent of male dominance that oozed out of his pores, that made her feel safe and wanted. It filled her body, her blood, made her anxieties drift away...

"Hey," he whispered, tilting her chin up, forcing her eyes on his. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing."

"It _is_ if it's upset you."

Her heart melted a little. No one in her real life cared about her like he did. She had family, off course-and they loved her-but she'd never had someone look at her the way _he_ looked at her; care for her the way _he_ cared for her and she'd never felt _anything_ for any other man that even came close to what she felt for him.

"It's just my job," she caved, seeing in his eyes that he wasn't going to let it go. "I'm having some trouble with my superiors."

"What kind of trouble?"

She sighed, raising on her tiptoes, sweetly kissing his chiseled jaw. "Do we have to talk about work?"

"That depends," he growled, leaning into her kisses. "Are you talking about it to anyone else?"

She sank back down on her feet, her lips twitching. He knew very well she didn't bother anyone in the real world with her problems, her worries, her fears. She didn't want to be seen as vulnerable, as weak...but that also meant she never got anything off her chest. And then, she fell asleep and he was there and for some reason, she shared _every_ part of herself with him, without hesitation. She trusted him, completely...

"What's so funny?" he rumbled, his thumb brushing over her curling lips, sending tiny sparks through her body.

"You. _No one_ knows me like you do."

"Good. I love that there's a part of you that's all mine."

" _Every_ part of me is all yours."

She could feel his fingers tightened on her hips, his dark eyes blazing as he growled, "I wish you knew."

"Knew what?" she breathed.

"What I _feel_ when you say those things to me."

Her heart broke as she watched a deep sadness take over his beautiful eyes, a sadness she'd seen there more than once. She didn't know much about his life beyond this dreamworld-he shared little about it-but she knew that wherever he was when he wasn't with her, it wasn't a nice place. And he was lonely there. She got lonely, too...but not like him. His loneliness seemed to be _such_ an deep-rooted part of him that it refused to release him from its clutches, no matter how desperately she tried to free him from it. There _were_ times when she was successful, though; there were moment when he seemed completely at peace and happy...but then they would part ways and the next time they'd meet, it was as if he'd reset...and she tried to free him all over again.

Swallowing hard, she cupped his cheeks, rubbing her thumbs across his skin.

"Tell me you're alright," she whispered as his eyes drifted closed under her touch. "Tell me that wherever you are when you're not with me, you're okay."

He moved one of her hands to his lips, kissing her palm. "I'm okay right now, here, with you. That's good enough."

She shook her head softly. "No, it's not. You should be happy, always."

"That's not in the cards for me, Cara."

"It could be," she whispered. "Come to me."

He growled, his eyes darkening just as they always did when this subject came up. "You know I can't."

"Why not?"

He brushed back one of her curls, his fingers following the curve of her ear. "There are rules not even I can break."

Her blue eyes dropped. She hated those vague answers; she hated that she knew nothing about his life beyond this realm; she hated that they couldn't be together outside of it...but she also knew she didn't hate it nearly as much as _he_ did.

"Hey," he whispered, his fingers tilting her chin up until his dark eyes touched hers again. "Do you want me to go?"

"No," she rushed. "Off course not."

He let out a deep sigh. "Good, because I _really_ don't want to go."

Her knees trembled at the rough sound of longing in his voice. She'd never been as desired as she was by him. He didn't just have a _physical_ want for her, there was something deeper, something _primal_.

Unable to stop herself, she swirled her fingers down his stomach, making him groan. Beneath the material of his shirt, she could feel his muscles contract. "Why is it that you're dressed and I'm wearing near to nothing?"

His lips curled in a roguish smile as his eyes ran over the exposed skin of her body, trailing fire everywhere his gaze touched her. "Perhaps I had a hand in your particular attire tonight," he admitted.

"Well, I don't think it's fair," she teased, biting her lip.

Holding her gaze, he started unbuttoning his shirt, baring his muscled chest.

Watching the fabric slide down to the ground, her heart-rate sped up, her tongue running along her lips. God, he was handsome.

"Better?" he asked, his voice raw.

He didn't wait for her to answer.

As his lips pressed down on hers again, she reveled in the heat he poured into her, allowing it to flow free between them. She melted against him, his fingers digging into her behind as his tongue slid alongside hers. His body was soft and hard at the same time, his fingers everywhere in touches that became progressively more insistent. She ran her hands down his back, slipping them inside his jeans, brushing her palms over his hard behind.

He moaned into her mouth, a moan she felt all the way down to her toenails.

"You cannot touch me like that and expect me to remain in control." The warning in his voice was heated, as heated as her blood which she swore was about ready to boil.

"Who says I expect you to remain in control?"

A shiver of pure desire rippled down her spine as he bent her backwards and licked the valley between her breasts, growling against her skin. She clutched a handful of his hair as his mouth moved in hot circles around one satin-covered nipple. She ached to kiss him, taste him, her body tight...but their standing position was too uncomfortable for her to maintain for long.

As if reading her mind, he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the red chaise longue. He laid her down gently, standing over her for a moment, gazing at her with eyes that made her feel like the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth. She stretched with a sensual languidness, watching him as he unbuckled his belt, drinking in the exceptional male specimen that was towering over her. When he'd removed the last shreds of his clothes, his hand caressed her inner thigh before he gently nudged her knees apart and joining her on the chaise.

A shiver swept over her as he pushed the satin nightgown up, kissing in the wake of the lace that hemmed the bottom. His mouth was soft and loving as he feathered her belly with kisses, moving higher as he bared her breasts, the hot brand of his body singeing her flesh wherever they touched. She arched beneath him, mindless to everything but the touch of his mouth and hands as the negligee dropped in a pool of satin on the floor. She rubbed herself against him, her legs closing around his hips in an overwhelming wave of need; a need for _him_ , not just his body in hers, but for _all of him_ , merged with hers in a way that was beyond sexual.

He tipped her head back, burning her lips with his and in that moment, she knew she was meant to be there, with this beautiful man who made her feel like the woman she wished she could be outside of this world as well; strong, confident, desired...

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he murmured, his normally beautiful voice hoarse with passion.

Incomprehensible sounds fell from her lips as he slowly, slowly pushed inside of her. Her nails dug into his back as he stretched her and then held still, giving her time to adjust to his girth.

"Adrianna."

Her name was spoken gutturally, and she marveled in it as his hips flexed and he started moving inside of her, causing a friction that drove her wild. She knew this technically wasn't real. This entire interaction only took place in her mind while her physical body was lying in a bed, in her apartment, alone...but it felt more real than anything she'd ever felt in the real world. _He_ felt more real than anything or anyone.

Her vision blurred and her world narrowed until all she was aware of was the sensation of his body, riding inside of hers.

"So soft," he groaned, his lips brushing her breast as her body arched. "So sweet. All mine."

She was so full; full of him. Widening her legs, she took as much as she could, bracing her palms on the chaise as he began to move faster.

"God, _Adrianna_." He repeated her name over and over again as sort of oath, splaying his hands over her behind, keeping her pressed tightly against him.

"Kiss me," she breathed with desperation.

He gave her what she wanted without a second thought, his warm lips sending her over the edge. Her orgasm hit her without warning, making her scream out. Her palm covered her mouth, embarrassed by the sounds she made...but he wouldn't have it. With a growl, he peeled her hand from her lips, holding it above her head as his black eyes pierced hers intensely. "Don't hide from me, Cara. I want to _hear_ you come."

She whimpered as his lips found that sweet spot behind her ear, as he seated himself deeper inside of her...

"I'm going to come." He moved faster, harder. "Come with me."

She wanted to tell him she'd just climaxed, hard and that she couldn't possibly come again...but then he hit a spot inside of her only _he_ could hit and before she knew what was happening, she was screaming again; only this time, he screamed with her. She tried to push her legs even farther apart, giving him access to her very core as his body racked with pleasure and his heat warmed her inside.

"Cara." He buried his face in her hair, his voice nearly desperate. "Perfect."

Panting, they laid there for a long moment, her fingers dancing on his back...and then, out of nowhere, tears filled her eyes.

Noticing, he gazed down at her, his face horrorstruck. "You're crying," he whispered, worried. "Why are you crying?"

She shook her head softly, feeling her chin tremble. "Because I won't remember this when I wake up."

His gaze turned tortured. "Adrianna-"

"I know," she cut him off, brushing her fingers over his jaw. "I know that's the way it has to be...but I miss you. Even though I can't remember you outside of this world, I _miss_ you. There's this void inside of me, _all the time_ , and I don't know why it's there...not until I fall asleep and find you here." She huffed, spilling more tears. "And I don't even know your name."

"Names aren't important."

"They are to me," she sniffled. "If this was real life and I would tell my friends that I've been having mind-blowing sex for four years now with a man who's name I don't even know, they'd think I'm some slut-"

He growled deep in his chest, his black eyes turning even darker. "Don't call yourself that."

She blushed, her spend body responding to his dominance.

"And please-" he added, his gaze softening again. "- _please_ , tell me you don't think that's all this is. You know this isn't just sex, right? You know you're so much more to me-"

"I know," she whispered, letting him off the hook. Off course she knew it wasn't just sex. Whenever they were together, no matter in which state of undress they were, there was a connection there that ran _so_ much deeper than a physical one. When she was with him, she felt whole...like she'd been waiting for him her entire life without even realizing it.

"Does not knowing my name really hurt you that much?" he rumbled, brushing away a tear with his thumb.

She nodded softly. "You say my name with so much adoration. I want to do the same with yours."

"Then name me."

She frowned, smiling confused. "What?"

"Name me," he repeated, his eyes serious on hers. "My real name was given to me by people who don't care about me at all. I'd much rather have a name of _your_ choosing slipping from your lips whenever I make you squirm."

She bit her lip, her hands running up his impressive torso. "Are you sure?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes simmering on hers. "Choose a name, Cara."

She stayed silent for a long moment, staring into his dark depths...and then, out of nowhere, she found herself whispering, "Lucian."

His lips twitched. "Lucian?"

She nodded and when his smile turned into a full-on grin, she pushed against his chest, forcing him on his back so she could straddle him, looking down with fake indignation. "Are you laughing at me?"

"I would never," he said, that grin still on his lips.

"Lucian is a great name," she defended. "It's mysterious, like you. And it has an air of danger about it, like you."

All the amusement left his face. "You think I'm dangerous?"

"Yes."

He sat up straight, forcing her to hook her legs behind his back to keep up straight, too. "Are _you_ afraid of me?"

"Yes," she whispered again, adding when she saw the sadness in his eyes, "But not in the sense you're thinking of. I'm afraid of you, because I think you're the only one with the power to hurt me."

His body tensed against hers, his strong arms wrapping around her. "I would never hurt you."

"If you disappear on me-"

"I won't."

"Promise me."

Watching her closely, he cupped her neck, rumbling. "I promise."

She sighed, burying her face in the crook of his neck, breathing him in.

"It means _light_ , you know," she whispered as she felt his fingers comb through her hair.

"What does, Cara?"

"Lucian," she felt him tense against her. "It means light."

"Then you should choose a different name," he growled. "It doesn't suit me at all."

She pulled back, watching him with stubborn eyes. "I will not. You're Lucian. You're _my_ Lucian."

His fingers dug into her back as she felt him harden inside of her again.

" _Yours_ ," he growled before suckling her lip into his mouth, biting it softly. "I'm yours."

She answered by threading her fingers through his hair and deepening their kiss, her tongue finding his, her breasts rubbing against his hard chest...and then, suddenly, he forced his mouth from hers, his eyes shooting fire.

"Fuck."

She frowned as he rolled her over again, laying her down gently before pulling out of her body. She whimpered at the loss of him, at the emptiness.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching him get dressed.

"I have to go," he growled, anger in his words.

She swallowed hard, grabbing her negligee of the floor and draping it over her naked body. "Did I do something wrong?"

His eyes turned even angrier. "No. _God_ no, don't ever think that. You're perfect."

"Then stay."

He shot her an apologetic look. "I-"

"-can't," she finished, slipping the gown back over her head. "So you keep telling me."

He sighed softly, kneeling down in front of her, kissing her thigh sweetly. She brushed her fingers through his hair, sighing too. "I know it's not your fault...but I wish you could stay."

His lips moved to her other thigh. "If I stay, they'll track me and follow me here."

Her fingers froze on his scalp. This was the most he'd ever revealed about his life...but she wanted more.

"Who will track you?" she whispered, realizing she was pushing her luck. "Who will follow you here?"

As she'd expected, he froze. He'd said too much without meaning to. His hands clutched by his side, he rose, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips on the way up.

"Will you be back tomorrow?" she asked, rising, too.

He growled again, cupping her cheeks, watching her with such torture in his eyes. "I'll do everything in my power to make sure of it."

She smiled, but could feel her eyes water at the same time. "I hate that you have to go back to a life you clearly hate. I hate that I can't help you-"

He hugged her to his chest. "You help me every day, Cara. Not just when we're together, but every single moment of every single day. Just knowing you're out there...You have no idea what that does to me."

One of her tears dripped onto his shirt. "Lucian?"

"Yes, Cara?" he whispered, his warm fingers stroking her back.

"I love you."

Words that had never been spoken aloud before hung in the air...and then, he was gone. Her arms were no longer wrapped around his torso, his warmth no longer enveloped her...and as she hugged her cold body, she sank back down on the chaise and cried.

* * *

His eyes flew open, immediately pinning down the brunette who'd roused him with an evil glare. Off all the times to fucking wake him up!

Adrianna had never told him she loved him...and he'd hadn't spoken the words either. Not once in the four years since he'd found a way to reach her. But that wasn't because he didn't feel the same way; he'd just figured he had no right to say such a thing to her. If he told her how he felt, if she truly understood the gravity, the depth of his adoration for her, he feared she would either flee and never return to him...or she would feel compelled to say it back and he didn't want to force her to lie. After all, who could love _him_?

But tonight, she'd said it...out of her own accord.

She loved him.

She loved _him_?

How?

"Finally," the woman said, crossing her arms over her chest. "It took forever to wake you. What the hell did you take?"

He got up from the cold floor, hiding the vile that had contained the potion. He didn't sleep naturally like she did, so he had to resort to other measures to see her.

"What are you doing down here?" he snarled, slipping the jacket of his black suit back on.

"Your brother is having a meeting with pretty much everyone of importance and he's asked you to join in."

He cocked a skeptical brow. "Me? Since when am I included in these things?"

She shrugged...but he could see she knew more than she was letting on.

"This better be important," he gnarled, vanishing from the darkness and appearing in a room that bathed in white light. In the middle stood a long table, outlined with chair after chair...and every chair was occupied. His brother was at the head of the table, unsurprisingly. He'd stood when he'd entered, gesturing at the empty seat beside him.

"Why am I here?" he gnarled, already missing her touch, her voice, that smell...

His brother shot him an annoyed look. "Just sit down, Hades."

His jaw set, Hades did as he was told...at his own pace. When he finally slid down on the chair, Zeus remained standing. That egotistical bastard enjoyed his role on Olympus way too much...and why wouldn't he? He was the supreme ruler, living in this heaven of light, friendship and love...while he was below, alone, in constant darkness, joined only by those who'd died.

"Let me start of by saying that this is a curtesy we're bestowing on you," Zeus said, towering over him with a stern look on his face. "What we're about to tell you is not open for discussion."

Hades cocked an annoyed brown, his eyes gliding over the others. Aris, Artemis and Apollo were in their armors, per usual, their faces stoic and not betraying anything. Athena had that same look on her face, but as the goddess of reason, she _always_ had that look on her face, so he couldn't read anything off her either. His second brother Poseidon-who was seated next to him-matched Zeus' stern look, but that was nothing new. The three of them didn't exactly see eye to eye on...anything. His sister Hestia, on the other hand, he liked. Well, maybe _liked_ was stretching it. Let's just say, he didn't completely despise her, which was strange, because as the goddess of family, she was everything he was not; kind, caring, sweet...and yet, tonight, she was purposely avoiding his eyes for some reason. That made the first alarm bell in his head go off. The second bell rang when he noticed Aphrodite being deep in thought, a hint of panic and sadness in her eyes. But what _really_ alarmed him, was the big grin Hera-the brunette who had woken him-had plastered on her lips. She was Zeus' wife, but only in title. The two hated each other. Zeus never paid mind to her-which for a vain woman like Hera was like a slap in the face- and Hera only took pleasure in two things: Sabotaging Zeus' plans and watching others suffer... He had the ominous feeling she was about to indulge in the latter.

"What is this about, Zeus?"

Zeus sat down, his chin raised as he said, "It's about the Salvatore girl."

"Seriously? This is about Elena? Again?" Hades sniffed, relieved. "It's been decades, brother. Drop it already. So what she had a couple of supernatural kids? She defeated Niklaus, for heaven's sake. We have his Soul. I think it's safe to say we owed her some happiness after everything-"

"Not Elena," Hera cut him off, that smile widening. "Her daughter. I think you've heard of her, haven't you? Adrianna Salvatore?"

Hades could feel flames lick his feet as _her_ name slipped from the bitch's lips. "What about her?"

"We know about you and Adrianna, Hades," Poseidon gnarled.

 _How the fuck did they find out?_

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Zeus sighed. "We _know_ , brother, so must we really do this dance where you pretend you don't know her and we confront you with your own misconduct?"

The flames licked higher up Hades' legs. "I did nothing wrong."

"Oh, really?" Hera spit out. "Is that why you've been _hiding_ your little whore from us?"

"Careful!" Hades barked, lying in a calmer voice, "And I wasn't _hiding_ anything. I just didn't think it was any of your business."

"You thought wrong!" Zeus snapped.

Hades tried to keep his cool, forcing the ever-rising flames to temper. "Look, I didn't break any of your rules. Adrianna doesn't know I'm a god; she doesn't even know my real name and once she wakes, she doesn't remember me." His heart ached as he spoke those words, hating that he was only a shadow-constantly entering and exiting her life-while he craved to be with her every moment... "I didn't expose us."

"This isn't about exposure, Hades!" Zeus snapped, leaning in, a fire swirling through his golden eyes. "This is about you and the motives behind-and consequenses of-your actions!"

Hades opened his mouth to ask what the fuck he was talking about, but before he could speak, Zeus snarled, "We've spoken to Lucrecia."

He tried to hide the shock that he felt in that moment, but he could tell by Hera's delighted reaction that he hadn't succeeded.

"She told us you came to see her a little over four thousand years ago to get her advice. She told us you had a vision of a girl, a girl you'd never seen before...a girl who somehow made you _feel_. Now, you and I both know you were designed not to feel anything, Hades. It came with the job you chose-"

"Chose?" he snarled. "That's a nice way of putting it."

"The point is-" his brother continued. "-she made you _feel_ something, something you obviously _liked_ feeling because you spend the next few years searching for her...and when you didn't find her, you figured someone was playing a cruel joke on you, so, you crawled back in the darkness and tried to forget...but you never could."

Hades swallowed hard, his eyes flashing. Why the fuck had Lucrecia told his brother this? She'd been the closest thing to a friend he'd had down there in the darkness. Why had she betrayed him?

"Enter Elena Gilbert," Poseidon jumped in, his voice riddled with anger. "The very second she died and you saw her, you had that same vision. You saw that girl again and you knew that somehow, Elena would have a hand in you finding her. So, what did you do? You broke every rule there is, bringing her back from the dead over and over again, justifying it to us by spewing some bullshit about how an Oracle had told you she would take down Niklaus Mikaelson-"

"I _was_ told that, by Lucrecia in fact," Hades snarled back. "-and she _did_ take down Niklaus!"

"Enter Damon Salvatore!" Zeus took over again, paying no mind to his interruption. "When he showed up in your club with Elena over his shoulder and you saw them together, the image of that girl came to you again, clearer than ever before and that's when you knew, wasn't it? You knew they would birth that girl-"

"Adrianna," he snarled, hating the demeaning way in which Zeus kept saying _that girl_. "Her name is Adrianna."

"We know her name!" Poseidon barked beside him. "What we don't know, is how you though you would get away with lying to us!"

"I didn't lie-"

"We are not fools, brother! So do _not_ treat us as such! You didn't want Elena to live to take out Niklaus! And if you did, it sure as hell wasn't your primary reason! You wanted _that girl_!"

"What do my reasons matter-"

"Your reasons matter because when Elena Gilbert met Damon Salvatore, it was your duty to warn us! You should've told us she would Mate with that vampire and procreate! But you didn't, because you knew we would never allow it and now, we have to rectify your fuck-up!"

An ice cold feeling clutched his stomach. " _Rectify my fuck-up_?"

"Her birthday is coming up," Zeus took over again. "Her _twenty-fifth_ birthday, Hades. She will have to choose between remaining The Crescător or becoming a vampire...and we can't let either one happen."

Hades no longer tried to hide the dark flames, letting them run freely over his body. "If you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting-"

"We're not _suggesting_ anything," Poseidon said, unimpressed by his brother's show of force. "If she joins her brothers as an Immortal, there is no telling how powerful they will be as a Trinity and if she chooses to be The Crescător, it's only a matter of time before history repeats itself! We can't let more pure blood vampires and Crescătors be born, Hades. The girl has to die."

His blood boiling, Hades rose, slowly, his eyes completely black and murderous. "Listen to me very carefully-"

"Brother-"

Hades' palms slammed down on the table. " **I SAID,** ** _LISTEN_** **!"**

Audible gasps echoed through the room. No one ever spoke to Zeus like that. You could voice your concerns, you could express your opinions, but you never, _ever_ , blatantly defied him...

But Hades didn't give a fuck about the rules, not then.

"If you touch Adrianna-"

Zeus rose too, getting in his face. "You don't want to threaten _me_."

"And you don't want to threaten _her_!"

"I'm not _threatening_ her! I'm _telling you_ what's going to happen!"

"You can't just kill her!"

"Yes, I can! Especially since she's only alive because I allowed you to revive her mother over and over again-"

"That was _**my**_ call! _**I**_ rule the Underworld!"

"And _**I**_ rule everything else! And _**I**_ decide she is now a threat to our way of life!"

"A threat to our way of life?! She's just a girl!"

"So was her mother and now, we have two pure blood vampires and a second Crescător on our hands!"

Hades' nostrils flared, everything inside of him clenching, his anger turning his dark heart even darker. "I won't let you do this! I will fight whatever demon you send after her!" And he fucking meant that. He couldn't touch anything in the world above, couldn't feel anything...but demons weren't part of that world, they were intruders, like him...so he _could_ and _would_ fight them, even if that meant exposing himself and everyone involved!

"We know you would intervene," Zeus said, unaffected. "Which is why you're on lock-down."

"Lock-down?!" He spit out. "What the fuck does that mean?"

The answer came to him in the form of golden shackles clasping around his wrists and ankles...and he felt like a fucking moron. Had he really believed his brothers had brought him here as a curtesy? How stupid could he be? This had all been a trick to trap him. They _knew_ he would never let them harm her.

"Don't do this!" Hades snarled, fear seeping into his blood alongside the anger. Zeus' shackles weren't attached to any restrains, but they were spelled to keep whoever they were on, grounded at Olympus...

He couldn't go to her.

He couldn't help her.

They would send their demons...and she would die.

"Please."

Every pair of eyes shot to him,widened, shocked.

"What did you just say?" Hera asked, still amused.

Hades jaw locked, but the time for pride was over. It had ended the very second those shackles had locked around him. "Please," he repeated, searching Zeus' eyes. "Don't hurt her. I'll do anything."

"I don't like this situation either," Zeus said, kinder. "But we have to do damage control-"

"She's not _damage_." Hades' voice broke, fear starting to cripple him. "Please. I've waited for her for millennia. Don't take her from me now that she's finally here."

He could see Zeus hated what he was about to do...but he was about to do it nevertheless. There was a determination there that wasn't going to falter.

 _He's going to kill her._

"If I may." Aphrodite rose, her long, blond curls flowing over her gown, her golden eyes seductively on Zeus. "I think I may have a solution that will appease every party involved."

Zeus waved his hand, gesturing for her to continue as he sank back down on his throne.

"Adrianna Salvatore is currently leaning towards becoming a vampire, simply because her entire family is Immortal," the goddess sang. "She has mortal friends and a mortal job, sure, but if she would have to choose now, she would choose Immortality and join forces with her brothers."

"Get to the appeasing-part," Hades snapped, noticing Zeus tense.

"I think it's safe to say we would rather see Adrianna remain human, yes?"

"Yes," Poseidon said. "But she won't ever be a normal human-"

"-because she's The Crescător," Aphrodite cut in. "I know. And once she does the ritual and binds herself to a vampire, she'll breed with him."

Hades felt a growl built in his chest, jealousy raging through him. He didn't want her with another...but he'd always known the day would come that she would find someone in _her_ world and built something _real,_ without him...

"But _what if_ she doesn't bind herself to a vampire?" Aphrodite said, the bracelets around her wrists chiming. "If she chooses a mortal, if she binds herself to _him_ so she can have children with this man, have a family...Well, then that would change things, wouldn't it?"

Hades saw Zeus straighten, his brows knotted together. "I suppose."

"Then why not steer things in that direction? Right now, the girl has no substantial reason to choose any other faith then becoming a vampire, but if we put a mortal she could love on her path and give her a taste of what it could be like to _remain_ human and start a normal human family...she might choose _that_ faith. She might want to stay human to be with him. A _normal_ human."

"And where, do tell-" Poseidon asked, skeptically. "-are we going to find a human that can convince her to change every plan she's made for her life _in eight months,_ which is when she turns twenty-five."

Aphrodite's golden gaze fell on Hades, a smile on her pink lips. "We won't have to look far."

"Hades?" Hera snapped. "He's not a mortal."

"We can make him one," Aphrodite said. "For a few months."

"Hades?" Zeus frowned. "Why him?"

"Because she already loves him," she sang, her eyes soft on Hades'. "Sure, she doesn't remember him when she wakes up, but there's a connection between them and I have no doubt that she'll feel it once he enters her life. He goes to her as a mortal, he makes her fall for him, makes her choose to remain mortal with him so they can start a family together. Since she can only remain human by doing the Crescător-ritual, she'll do it with him and commit herself to a mortal life."

"With _Hades_?" Poseidon snapped. "As much as I hate it, we need Hades _here_ , Aphrodite! Who else is going to rule The Underworld? It's not exactly a coveted position-"

"Hades won't have to stay," she cut him off, replacing the joy that had entered Hades' body with an even deeper darkness than before. "Once she's done the ritual, the decision has been made."

"But then we once again face the problem of her being The Crescător," Hera said. "After Hades leaves, any vampire could charm his way into her pants-"

"Let them," Aphrodite said. "It won't matter. The Crescător can only bind herself to _one_ person, human or vampire. Once the ritual has been performed, she can only breed with whoever-or whatever- she did the ritual with, in this case Hades. And with him gone, she won't be able to have any kind of offspring and she won't be able to turn into a vampire. She'll be just another huma-"

"No."

All eyes flew to Hades, who's body was once again covered in flames.

"No?" Aphrodite repeated, surprised.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking me to do?" he barked, glaring at her. "You want me to enter her life, seduce her, make her want to be with me above anything else, promise her a family, a future...only to leave her once she's bound herself to me, mortal and barren?" He shook his head. "It would destroy her. I won't do that to her."

"You won't?"

"No!"

"Okay then," Aphrodite said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Then I guess she dies tonight."

Hades growled, flexing his muscles, trying to shake of the shackles with all his might...but he knew they would never budge. He had no way out, no way to save her...unless by choosing the cruel path that was being laid out for him...

"I would agree to this, Hades," Zeus said, watching him closely." I would agree to giving you seven-and-a-half months to insert yourself in her life and have her do the ritual with you, have her choose mortality. Off course, if you fail to do so in that time, we _will_ eliminate her, but if you succeed, we will allow her to live a full life, grow old. I need an answer right away though, Hades. Will you do it? Or do I send your demons?"

Hades sniffed, his blood turning cold at the prospect of what he was about to do. "As if that's even a choice."

"Good," Aphrodite sang, smiling. "Give me a moment."

As she disappeared from the room, Hades sank down on his chair, defeated, his heart protesting his decision...but his head knew this was the only way to keep her alive...

"It goes without saying that you can't tell the girl-or anyone involved-who you are," Zeus clarified. "Or why you're there. Our existence must remain a secret. If you do anything to break that rule, we _will_ be forced to take immediate action and the girl _will_ die."

"Her parents know me," Hades gnarled. "We might cross paths."

"Then it would be in your best interest-and that of their daughter's- to convince them to keep their mouths shut about who you are."

Hades nodded, his eyes on the table, a numbness taking hold of him.

Aphrodite reappeared again, holding a silver chain with a white crystal attached.

"Wear this," she said, holding out the chain. "Once you put it on, you'll become human and be send to earth. The crystal will consume your powers, your Immortality and keep them safe. If the crystal breaks, you will be turned back into a god. Now, for safety reasons, the crystal can only be broken by you and only if you have the _clear_ intention to do so...but once it's broken, there's no going back."

"In other words," Poseidon jumped in. "If you break the crystal, for whatever reason, _before_ Adrianna Salvatore does that ritual and she is no longer a liability to us, this deal is off and we _will_ kill her. Understood?"

Hades locked his jaw. "You know, I never thought I'd see the day that you two would outshine me at being evil, brothers. Congratulations."

"Remember the rules, Hades," Zeus snapped back. "There will be no second chance."

Shooting the god one last glare, Hades slipped the chain over his head, his entire body tense with anger and hate...

But there was also that little part of him that was excited.

He was going to see her, touch her, in _her_ world...

...and then betray her in the worst possible way.

* * *

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 **Xx LustAndLove**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Hades stood in the shadows, letting the night swallow him whole. He'd appeared on Earth ten minutes ago, in the middle of a disgusting alley, the cold chilling him to the bone. He'd figured his brothers had dropped him somewhere at random and he would have to spend the first couple of days tracking Adrianna down...but then, he'd seen her, sitting by the window of an apartment across the street...and the world around him had come to a screeching halt. As he stood there, watching her, he forgot why he was there. He forgot it was the middle of the night and not the proper time to approach a woman. He forgot that, at least to her, he was a complete stranger and likely to frighten her. He even forgot who he was, _what_ he was and that he could never stay.

He simply _wanted_ her.

Her eyes, those gorgeous eyes, were raised to the heavens, their bright blue color visible even in the dark. She was deep in thought, he could tell. Her teeth were biting down on that lip of hers, a little wrinkle between her brows. All tell-tale signs that her mind was working overtime. The lights were off inside, but the moon was _bathing_ her in silver...and he couldn't look away. In their dreams, she had always been beautiful, but here, she was _magnificent_. Her delicate oval face, her small straight nose, her enticing pink mouth, all framed with a riot of black curls that made his fingers itch to dig in. And she was so much more than a classic beauty, he knew. She was brave, witty and kind; generous, clever and adorable. She was the only one who could make him smile, make him laugh. Somehow, even though he was cursed, she made him feel...blessed. She'd opened a world for him beyond his own dark one, a world that wasn't real and yet, felt more real than anything he'd ever felt-

"What are you waiting for?"

Hades tensed, his hands balling in fists as the reality of the situation came crashing back down. He _wasn't_ just a man, wanting to be with the woman he loved. He was a bastard, send to Earth to _ruin_ the woman he loved...

"Leave me the fuck alone, Aphrodite!" He snarled at the goddess who'd snapped him out of his beautiful illusion.

"Geez, ungrateful much?!

Hades spun around, his eyes shooting fire. " _Ungrateful_?! Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Hey, I know this plan isn't an ideal solution, but it's the only one there is!" the goddess snapped back. "Zeus _wants_ her dead, Hades! Poseidon _wants_ her dead! The only reason they went along with this, is because they know killing her will have some serious consequences! Her family wouldn't just let it go-"

"Neither would I!"

She nodded, smiling sadly. "Yeah, they know that, too."

Her eyes flickered over his shoulder then, to Adrianna, and this strange new instinct welled up in Hades' chest...and instinct that urged him to put himself between the goddess and his woman; an instinct to shield her from anything even _potentially_ dangerous...including himself.

"She just woke up from that last dream with you," Aphrodite said, ignoring his defensive stance. "The one where she told you she loves you-"

"How do you know-"

"-and she misses you," she cut him off. "She doesn't _remember_ the dream, but her heart is aching none the less." When she noticed Hades' narrowed eyes, she explained, "I'm the goddess of love, Hades. This is my department."

He swallowed hard, glancing at Adrianna over his shoulder. "She's sad?"

Aphrodite nodded. "She doesn't understand why, off course. How could she? But she'll understand soon enough. Once she meets you, she'll experience what she's been craving-"

"We're not going to meet." He hadn't even consciously made that decision...but the second it had passed his lips, he'd known it was the truth.

Aphrodite's mouth hung open for a moment, her eyes confused. "What do you mean you're not going to meet? The plan-"

"Yes, I remember your fucked up plan all too well, thank you! And I thought I could do it-" Hades barked, his eyes finding the vision by the window again. "-but then I _saw_ her. I can't hurt her like that, Aphrodite. I can't seduce her and then abandon her. I _can't_. I _won't_."

"Hades," she whispered, kindly. "If you don't do it, you're signing her death warrant. "

"No, I'm not. They gave me seven and a half months. Her birthday is in eight. All I have to do is find some way in those seven and a half months to keep her safe during that last half month without me, before it's her birthday and she chooses to become a vampire. After that, they won't be able to touch her."

"And you think you can keep this change of plans from _them_?" she shrieked, pointing at the sky. "They'll find out what you're doing, Hades!"

"You and I both know they're not all-seeing! That's why you're here, isn't it?! They send you to make sure I got here in one piece?!"

Her cheeks flushed, guiltily.

"That's the only way they can keep taps on me now that I'm a mortal; by sending a spy. All you have to do is make sure _you're_ that spy."

Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry, when did _I_ become a part of this?"

"You just said yourself that love is _your_ department!" he snarled. "How can you support a plan that is designed to _abuse_ love?!"

"I can support it because it's the only scenario that keeps you both safe!"

"No, I refuse to accept that! This world is filled with magic! There _has_ to be _another_ way to protect her from Zeus and Poseidon! I just need time to find it and I _have_ time! Seven and a half months!"

"And if you don't find another solution? Then what?" Aphrodite reasoned. "You can't exactly change your mind at the very end! You'll need all the time you can get to make her fall in love with you! And I know, I _know_ , technically, she already loves you, but _she_ doesn't know that! The Adrianna in your dreams has been with you for _years_ , Hades! _This_ Adrianna has no idea who you are! She'll be suspicious, she'll put up walls once she starts to realize how deeply she feels for you; walls that will be difficult and _time consuming_ to break through! She won't just drop to her knees the moment she meets you and start sucking your-"

"Hey!" Hades cut Aphrodite off, glaring. "Don't talk about her like that!"

The goddess' lips twitched.

"Besides," he added, less harsh. "I _will_ find a way to protect her that doesn't involve destroying her life and I'll do it without her ever knowing me, so I won't _need_ to break through any walls!"

"And if you don _'_ t find a way?"

"I will!"

"But if you _don't_?!"

" **I WILL!** "

Aphrodite shook her head, her eyes filled with fear. "Hades, even _if_ this plan works, even _if_ I agree to act as their spy and cover for you, they will know what you've done at the end of the road. After your time's up, they'll know you didn't convince her to remain human but instead screwed them over. They'll punish you."

"But _she'll_ be safe!" he growled. " _And_ happy, because she won't have been betrayed by the man she loves! She won't be left behind, alone, heartbroken, human, barren! She'll spend her life like she's been planning to spend it; as a vampire, surrounded by her family-"

"And you?" Aphrodite asked, her eyes soft.

"What about me?"

"Exactly. What about _you_? Don't _you_ deserve to be happy? Even just for a little while?" Aphrodite shook her head, gesturing at Adrianna. "I mean, she's right there, Hades! Everything you've been dreaming about is _right there_! You can go to her, you can hold her, kiss her, love her! Why not look for a way to protect her _and_ be with her while you're looking?"

"Don't you think I _want_ to go to her?!" He snarled. "I do, Aphrodite! Every fiber of my being, every dark corner of my soul is _craving_ it...but I _can't_! I can't be selfish! Not when it comes to her! Orchestrating this thing from the shadows is the only way to save her from heartbreak; the only way to keep her from finding out how much it hurts to be this close to _everything_ you want and not be able to have it! And that _is_ how this story will end, Aphrodite! Whether she meets me or not; whether she becomes a vampire or stays human; I don't _belong_ in this world! When everything is said and done, I'm still The God of The Underworld and I _will_ be send back to the dark hole I came from! There is _no_ happy ending here!"

"Haven't you ever heard that _it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all_?"

"Oh please," he hissed. "I'm the leading expert on _loss_ , you're the leading expert on _love_ , so we both know _that's_ bullshit."

Aphrodite stayed silent for a long time, her eyes glued to his as Hades waited in fear. If Aphrodite decided she wanted no part of this, it was all over. If she went up to his brothers and told them what he was planning...

"Okay," Aphrodite finally whispered, relief washing over him. "I'm in. I will help you. But when they find out what you've been doing-"

"-I'll take the blame."

She huffed, offended. "I was going to say, when they find out what you've been doing, tell them it was my idea. They'll be more lenient on _me_."

"I'm not going to do that."

"But-"

"Not happening, Aphrodite," Hades growled.

"Okay then," she said, rubbing her forehead. "But tell me this, where are you going to stay if you're not staying with Adrianna?"

"I own a string of clubs, remember?"

"Right, on hotbeds of paranormal activity, so you can materialize there when you have business on Earth. Have I ever told you how weird it is that you chose to built nightclubs there? You spend your life in the dark and then, when you get the chance to resurface, you choose a place that's just as dark as The Underworld...and just as depressing. Why not a nice, quite, light space? Like a conservatory?"

 _Because it makes it harder to return._

"One of my clubs is nearby," he said, leaving her question unanswered. "My men are still loyal to me, human or not. I can put up shop there."

Aphrodite sighed...but then her eyes focused back on Adrianna and a little smile pulled at her lips. "You know, there _is_ one thing you haven't taken into consideration."

"And what's that?"

"Her."

Hades followed her gaze to Adrianna...who was now standing up, her red nightgown hugging her body in all the right places, her blue eyes focused on the alley. He knew she couldn't see them, but still, his heart skipped a beat.

"That girl is as drawn to you as you are to her, Hades. Even right now, she can sense you. There is no way you two won't meet."

"I won't let that happen."

"You might not have a choice. That annoying little thing called _destiny_ might get involved. You _know_ that's the _one_ force no one can control, human or god. If it wants the both of you to cross paths, you will."

"Then I'll push her right back _off_ my path."

"How?"

"I can be quite an asshole if I want to be," he snarled. "But like I said, she won't come near me. I'll make sure of that."

Her lips twitched. "Okay, well, I see you have it all figured out. I'm sure it will go as planned without any unexpected hiccups."

His eyes narrowed at her sarcastic tone of voice. "It _will_."

"Sure."

"It will!"

"I said _sure_."

Hades' hands balled into fists again, but he bit his tongue. She was on his side...and he _really_ had to keep it that way.

"I should go now," she said, her lips dropping. "I'll tell them you got here safe and that you're preparing to approach her tomorrow."

"Thank you."

She sighed, softly shaking her head. "Be careful, Hades. I'll do everything I can to cover for you, but...be careful."

He gave her a tight nod...and then she vanished into thin air.

Swallowing hard, Hades' eyes went back to the window. He wanted to drink his girl in for a moment longer, bathe in her beauty...but Adrianna was no longer there. She'd probably gone back to bed and was dreaming by now...but she wouldn't find him there. Not anymore. As a human, he couldn't slip into her dreams, he couldn't spend the little time they used to spend together with her. But he _could_ save her. And in order to do that, he _had_ to walk away...so that's what he did. Even though his heart clenched in his chest, even though it went against his every instinct, Hades disappeared in the night, determined to leave her behind.

* * *

"Something is terribly wrong."

Adrianna tried to push back her mocking smile as she sat across from her friend, watching her manicured fingers slide over the tarot cards she'd just laid for her. She didn't want her to think she was laughing at her...even though she _was_.

Margaret Grace had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. Not only had they gone to preschool together, her mother was also a witch in the town she'd grown up in, a witch her parents often consulted. When Adrianna had decided to move out of her family home three years ago and spread her wings for a few years before she went from human to vampire, Maggie had followed her...and she couldn't have been more grateful. It was an enormous relief to have someone with her who knew her, who knew who she truly was, _what_ she truly was. And her parents had been relieved as well. They'd hated watching their only daughter go out into the world-especially her dad-but having a powerful witch like Maggie with her had softened the blow somewhat. Not that there was anything to worry about, really. There had never been threats towards her or her brothers. They were feared by those who were on the wrong side of the darkness and worshipped by everyone else. Neither party would ever make a move on her.

And yet, today, because of some ridiculous cards, Maggie was looking at her as if her number was up.

"Maggie, come on," Adrianna snickered. "They're just cards with pictures that you sell to tourist for way too much money!"

Her blonde friend huffed, holding up two of the cards she'd picked; one with a man and a woman on it that read _The Lovers_ and one that depicted a skeleton on a horse, holding a scythe that read _Death_.

"So?" Adrianna smiled.

"So?!" Maggie frowned, putting the tarot cards back on the sparkling, purple tablecloth. "This is no laughing matter, missy! These cards mean that love will get you killed!"

Adrianna cocked an eyebrow, sitting up straight in the uncomfortable iron chair. "Okay, first of all... _no laughing matter_? We're sitting in the candle-lid backroom of your magic shop, there's a glass ball right in front of me and you have feathers in your hair."

Maggie's lips twitched.

"And secondly," Adrianna continued. " _Off course_ love will kill me."

Her lips dropped again. "What?"

"Come on, Maggie, think," she said, lowering her voice even though the shop was completely empty. "In eight months, I'm becoming a vampire so I can spend eternity with my family, with the people I love. _Love will get me killed_."

"Huh."

She clearly wasn't convinced...but Adrianna got up anyway, slipping her leather satchel back over her shoulder. "So, can I get what I came for now? Or do I have to submit to a palm reading first, too?"

The blonde smiled, but she could tell her heart wasn't really behind it. The silly girl was genuinely concerned.

Sighing, Adrianna sank back down, leaning forward to grab Maggie's hands. "Mag, come on. They're just cards. You and I both know the forces that are at work in the shadows. Do you really think some simple cards could ever truly predict the endgame of those complex powers?"

She relaxed somewhat.

"Besides," Adrianna added, smiling. "This is _me_ we're talking about. Do you really think I'm about to fall in love anytime soon? The last time a guy tried to pick me up, I ended up arresting him."

Maggie laughed, her brown eyes finally sparkling. "I remember that. That was a fun night."

Grinning, Adrianna stood again . "So, can I get the things I asked for now?"

She nodded, still snickering. "The Dragon's blood is on the bottom shelve of the last bookcase, behind the empty hourglass."

"An empty hourglass? What's the point of an _empty_ hourglass?"

"Does everything need to have a point?"

Adrianna rolled her blue eyes at her friend's witchy tone. "Okay, _Madam_ Grace."

She winked, flipping her hair back dramatically. "I'll be in the back doing inventory. Shout if you need any help finding the herb. And remember to mix the Dragon's Blood in a hot beverage-anything but coffee; three scoops at a time should give you the energy you need, no more than twice a day. And while you're at it-" she said, her eyes worried again. "-grab some Valerian root-capsules, too. They're on the same shelve. They should help you sleep."

Adrianna ran her fingers over the bags under her eyes, her teeth finding her lip. "Is it that obvious?"

"Kind of."

She sighed, tying her black, curly mess together in a high ponytail. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Two nights ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and I haven't slept more than four hours since. It's strange. My mind just won't relax."

"Do you remember what woke you?"

She shook her head, trying once again to think back...but there was nothing to think back to. "I never remember my dreams. You know that. All I remember is waking up and feeling-"

"Feeling what?" Maggie asked when she trailed off.

"I don't know. Strange. Bad."

"Bad how?"

She shrugged, rubbing her forehead. "I was crying."

"You were crying?" Maggie whispered, her eyes softening. "You must've had a nightmare. Do you want to try the Memento-potion again?"

"We've tried that before. That and hypnosis. Neither were very helpful."

"I still say that's not normal, by the way. Dreams leave traces, especially in your subconscious, but with you, _nothing_."

"We've had this discussion before, Maggie. It's not impossible that my mind doesn't work the same way a regular human's does. I _am_ currently The Crescător and have the potential to become a full-blood vampire, so a few physiological curiosities are to be expected."

"True," she said, letting out a deep sigh. "It's probably just nerves, you know. The insomnia. After all, your life _is_ on the verge of changing dramatically."

She frowned. "How so?"

"How so?! You're almost twenty-five, almost Immortal. You might have some anxiety about that and-"

"There's _no_ anxiety," Adrianna cut her friend of, smiling again. "I've been looking forward to this day since I was old enough to understand it. In fact, if I _could've_ changed earlier, I would've, but because of something to do with the stars and some hocus-pocus I never quite understood, I'm forced to remain mortal until my birthday. But I can guarantee you, I'm counting down the days."

"So, there's really not a doubt in your mind that you'll choose to become a vampire?" Maggie asked, watching her closely. "I mean, you _are_ The Crescător-"

"Don't remind me."

"Oh come on. It's an _amazing_ thing, Adrianna. It's what got _you_ here. You can have children with an Immortal...or a human if you choose-"

"I don't _want_ kids."

"Isn't that what your mother said, too?" the witch sang knowingly. "Besides, you just feel that way because you've never met a man-or vampire-you could see yourself have children _with_."

Adrianna softly shook her head. "Even _if_ that's the reason, I think we can agree on the fact that it's pretty unlikely that I'll meet someone in the next eight months who will suddenly change my mind about it and I'm _not_ throwing away Immortality for the off chance I might fall in love and want kids later down the line. That choice would be irreversible, remember. My mother had the fortune of being able to do the ritual, have children and change into a vampire afterwards to be with them, forever. I won't have that choice. If I do the ritual, if I remain human, remain The Crescător and have kids with a vampire or mortal, then that's it. I can't be turned into a vampire ever again. I _will_ grown old and die."

"It's not as horrible as you make it out to be, you know. Growing old can be amazing if you do it with someone you love by your side."

"I know that, but everyone I love is Immortal, present company not included," she said, casting her a sweet smile. "I _want_ to be with my family, Maggie. With my parents who drive me insane most of the time, with my brothers whose asses I will _finally_ be able to kick once I'm a vampire... I won't miss out on that."

Maggie sighed. "Okay, fine, I give up. Vampire it is. Just don't forget us mere mortals once you're this powerful kick-ass wonder woman."

"How could I possibly forget _you_?" she said, the sound of bells suddenly drifting up from her pocket.

"Who's calling you at five-thirty in the morning?"

"No one," Adrianna mumbled, reaching for her phone. "That's my alarm. I have to get going. I have a meeting at the station in half an hour with my sergeant."

"About the Carver-case?" Maggie asked, adding on sigh when Adrianna shot her a meaningful look, "You're going to ask him to extend the surveillance on Rodchenko? _Again_?"

"I know it's him, Maggie," she gnarled. "I can _feel_ it in my bones. I just need to prove it."

"And how is _that_ going so far?"

"He covers his tracks well."

"Maybe there _are_ no tracks, Anna."

Adrianna pinched the bridge of her nose, irritated. "Why does no one believe me? What is it about Dimitri Rodchenko that screams _innocent_ to everyone but me?"

"The lack of evidence? His alibis?"

"He is a sadistic-"

"Hey," Maggie huffed, holding up her palms as a sign of surrender. "I'm only preparing you for what you know your sergeant is going to say."

"I know," Adrianna sighed. "So, bottom shelve, last bookcase, right?"

"Yup. I'll put it on your tab."

"Take it out of my share of that profit I never see a dime off," she sang, teasingly. "The profit you're making in this shop _I_ bought you."

She could still hear Maggie laugh as she left the dim, secluded back-room and made her way into the actual shop.

"Okay," she whispered when she reached the shelve against the back wall, crouching down. "Dragon's Blood, Dragon's Blood...Where art thou, Dragon's Blo-"

Her cellphone went off again, only this time, it _was_ her ringtone. Frwoning, she checked caller-ID...and at once, a smile spread across her face.

"Hello dad," she sang, picking up.

"Hello, baby girl."

Her smile widened even more as she rolled her eyes. "Dad, I'm in my mid-twenties. Don't you think the time for _baby girl_ has come and gone?"

She could hear him laugh and at once, she was back home. Their house had always been filled with laughter and love; her entire childhood and today still. She couldn't even remember a time when she hadn't felt completely loved and wanted by her wonderful parents and teasing brothers. Even with so much distance between them, they still called her every day and even though she tried to be annoyed about it, she had to admit she looked forward to hearing her parents' voices. Even her brothers' unannounced visits didn't bother her anymore. Whenever they were around, she felt like she was back in Italy, in her old room, in their cosy house.

"You'll always be my baby girl, Adrianna. No matter how old you get," her dad said, adding in a sing-song voice, "Speaking off-"

"You're not throwing me a party."

She could practically hear her father smile as he said to someone that was in the room with him, "Told you."

Adrianna didn't have to think long to know who he was speaking to. Wherever her father was, her mother wasn't far away. Those two were basically joined to the hip. There had been a time during her teenage years that she'd pretended to find her parents constantly making googly eyes at each other, touching and kissing, disgusting...but the truth was, she'd always marveled in their love...and had never seen its equal. Maybe that's why she had such a hard time with building romantic relationships. Men had too much to live up to. The way her father looked at her mother was... _indescribable_.

"Put mom on the phone, will you dad?"

"Will do," he said. "I love you, baby girl."

"I love you too, daddy."

"Be safe."

"Always."

She could hear him huff, but at least he didn't lecture her anymore. He hated the fact that she'd chosen law-enforcement as a career. He thought it was way too dangerous for her...but as she'd pointed out to him; with Elena and Damon Salvatore as parents, what had he really expected her to become? She was just as wild-spirited as them, as adventurous and brave, as intolerable when it came to monsters hurting others. However, since she didn't have the supernatural abilities _they_ had, she had to stick to fighting _human_ monsters and what better way to do that then by strapping on a gun and a badge?

"Hello, sweetheart." Adrianna didn't know why, but whenever she heard her mother's voice, she thought about fresh-baked cookies. It made no sense, since her father was the cook at home, but she figured it had something to do with the warmth her words held. Even when her mom just greeted her, it felt like a warm blanket wrapping around her.

"Hello, mom," Adrianna sang. "Did you really think getting dad to ask me would make me agree?"

She laughed. "I figured it was worth a shot. You've always been a daddy's girl."

"True," she admitted. "But I don't _want_ a party. You know I don't like all that attention."

"I wonder who she got that from," she heard her father chime in the background, his vampire senses hearing her loud and clear.

"I understand that, honey," her mom said, ignoring him. "-but your godparents-"

"Don't blame Uncle Elijah and Aunt Rebekah. You just want a party so you have an excuse to get us all together again."

"Is that so bad?"

"No, but I just want to be turned in peace and then spend some time with you guys and Killian and Asher. You know, to adjust." She could practically hear her mother's heart breaking...and it broke hers, too. "I'll tell you what though, mom; how about I stop by _before_ my birthday?"

"When?" she cheered enthusiastically.

"I don't know yet," she snickered. "It depends on when Rodchenko-"

The second his name had crossed her lips, she kicked herself over the head, cursing inwardly.

"Rodchenko?!" she heard her dad yell in the background. "Did she just say _Rodchenko_?!"

"Okay, dad-" she said in a calm voice. "-don't start."

"He's a dangerous man, Adrianna," Her mom jumped in, putting her on speaker so they could both chime in.

"Yes, well, I don't go after the gentle-hearted ones, mom."

"We've done some research," her dad growled. "Did you know he's suspected to be the number one dealer in the city? And that he's linked to several prostitution-cases?"

"Yes, dad, I know. I work at the place that suspects him."

"And you think he added murder to his resume?"

"I know it. I just need to proof it."

"We could compel him to tell the truth-"

"-and his lawyers would say he was coerced into confessing and he would go free. No, if I want to catch this guy, I have to do it the old-fashioned way; by gathering evidence."

"Actually, the old-fashioned way is by torturing him within an inch of his sanity," her dad rumbled. "Can't we do that instead?"

"Let's call that Plan B," her mother said in a soft voice, no doubt rubbing her father's back to calm him down. "Until then, if our daughter says she can handle it, she can handle it."

"Our daughter is human."

"So was I."

"Yes," he rumbled, his voice raw when he added on a whisper,"-and I lost you."

Adrianna knew her parents' history, off course. They never went into great detail, but she knew her mother had died in her father's arms when she'd been pregnant with Killian and that her brother had brought her back to him. Nevertheless, even though the story had a happy ending, her father still had nightmares about that moment, about watching her die, about losing it all...

"Look, guys, I love you both, but I really can handle it and if the day comes that I can't anymore, I swear I'll let you know. Okay?"

She could hear her father mumble his agreement and that was as good as it was going to get.

"I have to go now," she said, spotting the Dragon's Blood and Valerian root. "Give my love to everyone and please, try not to worry. Just remember, in a few months, I'll be indestructible."

"A lot can happen in a few-"

"Alright, sweetheart," her mother cut her dad off. "Be safe and say hi to Margareth for us."

"Will do. Bye. I love you."

She hung up, letting out a deep breath.

 _Mentioning Rodchenko?_ a voice scolded in her head as she picked up the jar of Dragon Blood. _Seriously? Amateur-move, Salvatore! Why didn't you just go ahead and tell them about that time you were shot-_

The sound of a bell ringing cut off her interal berating. It wasn't her cellphone this time. No, this particular sound came from the bell that hung above the front door, the bell that rang whenever someone entered. Maggie must've left the door unlocked when she'd let her in, because officially, the shop wasn't open for another three hours...and she was determined to tell the customer that...until she caught a glimpse of him.

Holding her breath, Adrianna ducked deeper between the two bookcases, letting the shadows envelop her as her eyes shamelessly drank him in...and her heart took notice. Frowning, she pressed her palm down on her chest, feeling that frantic _thump thump thump_ underneath her hand. Adrianna's heart had never reacted to anyone or anything like that..but then again, she'd never seen anyone or anything quite like _him._ Even with just the weak morning light trickling in through the store front, she could see enough of him to tell that he was _gorgeous_.

When he stopped at a tiny table in the middle of the shop where a few old books were stacked, Adrianna quietly moved a little closer, peering through the sparkling jars and vials to get an even better look.

 _God...how can anyone be that handsome?_

He was tall and broad, a very _present_ presence in the tiny shop, which could explain why Adrianna suddenly had trouble breathing. Surely, it had to be her claustrophobia kicking in. After all, it couldn't possibly be a reaction to his dark slicked back hair or his strong jaw that was covered in a sexy hint of dark whiskers...And the tailored suit he was wearing did nothing for her either... No, that was most definitely _not_ why the air had suddenly grown denser or why her skin sizzled. It was claustrophobia...It _had_ to be, right?

"Hi there, welcome to Pandora's," Maggie sang, emerging from the curtain of beads, placing the tarot cards on the counter.

The man faced her friend, turning his broad back on her.

"Can I help you find anything?" Maggie asked, still cool and composed... How was _she_ not affected by him? Didn't she have eyes?!

"I heard you carry The Gomorrah Codex."

 _That voice.._.

Why did it feel like she'd heard it before? She was sure she'd never met him. She wouldn't forget a man like him or a voice like that; deep and low, warm and yet, rough...

"Who told you _that_?" Maggie asked.

The man didn't answer.

"You're not the average tourist, are you?"

"And I don't have time for chit-chat either," he rumbled, his back straightening. "The Gomorrah Codex?"

"That's a powerful piece of magic you're asking for."

"Just name your price."

"It's not for sale."

"Everything in this world is for sale."

"Not this," she said determined, crossing her arms over her chest. "In the wrong hands, that book can be dangerous."

"That goes for everything in this store," he gnarled, a touch of impatience in his words. "Including you, witch."

Maggie huffed, but before she could say anything, the man rumbled, "Look, I need that Codex solely for the protection spells in it. You can just rip those out and sell them to me. I'll pay full-price for the Codex."

"I'm not going to destroy an ancient Codex."

Adrianna could see the man's fingers flex and then ball in tight fists...and yet, her every instinct was screaming at her that there was nothing to worry about, that he wasn't a threat. She could practically _feel_ the darkness ooze out of his pores, sense the danger come off him in waves...but there wasn't a single alarm bell going off.

"Then _copy_ the damned protection spells," he growled, running his fingers through his raven hair. "Write it down on a fucking napkin if you have to. I'm not interested in any dark magic. I only want to keep someone safe."

Maggie visibly relaxed a bit, her arms uncrossing. She could hear the sincerity in his words...and so could Adrianna. Whoever he was trying to protect, he cared for them...and for some reason, that fact made something inside Adrianna clench.

"I'll tell you what," Maggie said, kinder. "I'll go get the Codex and you can go through it _in here._ That book doesn't leave this shop, understood?"

He gave her a tight nod, but Adrianna could see he was still tense. He clearly didn't like being told what to do.

As Maggie disappeared into the back again, Adrianna raked her eyes slowly down his body, her teeth biting down on her lip, a heat spreading to places that had never been heated before.

 _He is truly an exceptional specimen._

Her entire body was _vibrating_.

Too late did she realize it wasn't her body, but her phone and before she could get a hold of the damned thing, two loud beeps echoed through the darkness, alerting her that she had a text message...

...and alerting the man of that fact that he wasn't alone.

He turned on his heels instantly, her cheeks flushing as he spotted her in the dark. The second his charcoal eyes touched hers, a wave of desire flooded through her. It caught her by surprise, nearly buckled her knees, the little oxygen she'd still been able to draw into her lunges, gushing out. For the first time in her life, Adrianna Salvatore was actually speechless. Her blood rushed faster underneath her skin, electricity coursed through her veins. She knew she should say something...or _he_ should say something...but neither of them did. He just stared at her with eyes that had widened at first but were now narrow and angry...and she stared right back, drowning in those grey depths, her mouth hanging open, wanting to speak words that would never pass her lips...

"So-"

Startled by Maggie's voice, the jar of Dragon's Blood slipped from her fingers, crashing into the ground, a cloud of red dust wafting up. Feeling blood rush to her cheeks, Adrianna ducked down embarrassed, reaching for the broken shards...as she watched his expensive looking shoes speed across the floor, to the door and finally, disappearing from sight.

"What the hell was that about?" Maggie asked, shooting her a confused look. "Did you know him or something."

Adrianna shook her head, her heart still racing as she tried to ignore the disturbing urge to run after a complete stranger. "No."

Her friend huffed, slamming the thick Codex down so hard that a gush of air blew the Tarot cards right off the counter. Cleaning up her mess, Adrianna's mind kept replaying what had just happened, kept showing her his enchanting eyes, his silky hair, his raw stubble, his muscled body-

"Didn't you have to go?" her friend asked from the other side of the store where she was picking up Tarot cards. "The meeting?"

"Meeting?"

Maggie's eyes turned curious, her lips twitching. "With your sergeant?"

 _Oh, crap!_

Snapping out of it, she jumped up, hissing, "Shit, I'm going to be _so_ late! I-" She looked down at the mess that was still there.

Apparantly, fantasizing about him had made any other activity impossible.

"Leave it," maggie sang. "But call me later to tell me how it went...and to talk about what the hell I just walked in on."

Adrianna just smiled confused as she headed for the door.

"Oh, you missed these." Reaching down, she picked up two Tarot cards that had flown all the way across the shop and had gotten stuck underneath the Welcome Mat."See you later."

If she hadn't been in such a hurry, if her mind hadn't been a jumble, she might've taken the time to turn those cards over. If she had, she would've seen what was depicted on them and she might've thought twice about going into work that day. She might've gone home, she might've called her parents to make sure it really was just a silly coincidence and nothing other than superstition, things might not have gone so horribly wrong...But she _was_ in a hurry and her mind _was_ a jumble, so she never turned the cards over and left _The Lovers_ and _Death_ face down on a shelve as she vowed to herself to forget all about that strange morning and that strange man.

Little did she know that, from the second she'd seen him, irreversible things had been set in motion, things that would bring him back into her life before the day was over.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 _Three years ago_

Hades breathed in her warm scent as his fingers slowly sifted through her long, silky hair. Adrianna was splayed out on top of him, her body still trembling from her orgasm, her breathing still unsteady.

"That was-" She trailed off, groaning satisfied.

Hades smiled, pressing her tighter against his chest, brushing his lips over her hair.

"How do you keep doing that?" she whispered, looking up at him with those big, blue eyes of hers.

"I know your body," he rumbled.

She bit her lip. "No not _that_. I meant, how do you keep making me surrender?"

His lips curled as he slowly trailed his fingers up and down her spine. "Is that what I'm doing?"

"Mmmmmm," she whispered, her lips brushing his chest. "I'm not generally like this, you know."

"Like what?"

"Soft. Girly. Out there, in the real world, I always have to have my guard up."

" _Have_ to?"

She smiled sadly, pushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "I work in a male-dominated field, with criminals. There's no room for softness or girlyness."

"And outside of work?"

"Outside of work I'm The Crescător, goddaughter of The Originals, daughter of The Salvatores, and sister of the two only full-blood vampires in existence. I can't let me guard down there, either. Only here. With you."

"So, when you're out there, you're alone? I don't like that."

She kissed his jaw sweetly. "I'm not _alone_. I have my family to talk to-"

"-who you've just moved thousands of miles away from."

"Besides-" she continued as if he hadn't spoken. "-I have my best friend with me. Maggie."

" _Maggie_?" He cocked a brow. "That doesn't really sound like someone who can protect you, if push comes to shove."

"Protect me?" She sat up, straddling him, her palms braced on his chest. Hades smiled, folding his arms behind his head, taking in the beauty on top of him, watching her long hair cascade down those beautiful breasts. God, he loved those curls. The way they flowed between his fingers, the way they felt against his skin, the way they bounced when she rode him-

"Sweetheart," she said, trying to give him a tough look. "I know three kinds of mortal combat, I can disassemble and reassemble a nine millimeter in under eight seconds and I learned how to castrate a man with just a pair of tweezers by the time I was ten, thanks to my father. I can take care of myself. Also, don't make the mistake of underestimating Maggie. She's a pretty badass witch, you know."

"I still say you should've stayed in Italy with-"

She kissed the words from his lips, making him forget everything but _her_ as her breasts ground against his chest. Growling at the friction, his fingers clutched her hips, her nails digging into his skin, her tongue stroking his-

-and then suddenly, she broke their kiss and got up, making his body scream out.

"What's wrong?" he growled.

"Nothing," she sang, stretching that perfect, curvy body of hers. "I just need a few minutes to recover after three rounds."

He propped himself up on his elbows, and as he watched Adrianna wrap the wool blanket that hung over the leather couch around her naked body, he was once again reminded of how fragile his girl was, how human, how...delicate.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he growled, already getting pissed off at himself. He always intended to be careful with her, gentle...but in the heat of the moment, he often forgot about his intentions, getting caught up in her, taking her as hard and fast as his body demanded. Not that she ever complained.

"You didn't hurt me," she sang, sweetly. "Don't look so worried."

"I'm _always_ worried when it comes to you."

She shook her head, biting that lip of hers...making his balls hurt even more.

"Don't be. Like I said, I'm a tough cookie." She shot him a teasing look, nudging his side with her toes as she sang. "You don't want to mess with me, mister."

"Oh-" he rumbled, reaching for the blanket. "-I really, _really_ do."

She giggled, hopping out of his reach. "Keep it in your pants."

"I'm not wearing any pants."

"I've noticed." Her eyes slid down his body, her cheeks getting that delicious pink color when she reached the part of him that _throbbed_ for her. God, he loved it when she blushed. It made her look so innocent.

"Where are we anyway?" she asked, running her fingertips over the wooden desk. "I presume this is one of _your_ creations since I've never fantasized about getting it on in an office. Is this _your_ office?" She tried to sound nonchalant as she slipped in that last question, but he knew her words were very measured. She _knew_ he was tight-lipped about his life beyond their dreams, but she tried to get little scraps of information now and again anyway. Adrianna didn't like being kept in the dark, not knowing everything there was to know about someone or something.

 _My curious girl..._

"You could say that," Hades indulged her. "Although it's not my _main_ place of business."

"So, why not take me _there_?"

"Because that's no place for you."

She shot him a confused look at the sudden hard edge to his voice. He hadn't meant to sound so rough, but just the thought of Adrianna being where he spend the vast majority of his time; in that never-ending abyss where no light ever made it through the darkness, with only the dead as company...It made his skin crawl. Someone as beautiful and alive as her didn't belong in such a despicable place.

"I wanted you _here_ -" he rumbled, softening his tone again. "-so that, whenever I'm in this office without you, I can satisfy myself with the mere thought of you, bent over my desk."

"You didn't bent me over your desk," she whispered.

"Yet."

Her eyes dropped from his as she turned her back on him, facing the wall to hide those blushing cheeks. He didn't need to see her face to hear her breathing pick up, though; and even though she was now on the other side of the room, he _knew_ she was wet for him. Her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to admit that, off course. She'd asked for a time-out and she was going to see that through, whether her body begged for him or not.

"You should make this room a little warmer. More homely."

He grinned at her adorable attempt to change the subject, getting up from the floor. He could feel her shiver when he wrapped his arms around her from behind, could feel her body melt against his chest.

"It's an _office_ ," he rumbled. "There's no need to make it homely."

"At least get a rug," she said, her voice trembling. "That way, when you have women over, you have something soft and warm to lay them down on."

His lips twitched as he held her tighter. "Are you trying to ask me something, Adrianna"

"No," she rushed. "I'm just saying, _I_ don't mind the floor, but not all women are as easy-going as me and I-"

"Cara," he whispered, his lips feathering her ear. "You don't have to play games. Not with me. If you want to know if I'm sleeping with other women-"

"No," she hurried, squirming embarrassed in his embrace. "It's really none of my business and I don't even _want_ to know-"

"There are no other women," he growled, holding her tighter, trying to make her feel what _he_ felt, what she meant to him. If she had _any_ clue, she wouldn't ask him such ridiculous questions. "There's only you, Cara."

She sighed, relaxing in his arms again. "You don't have to say that. I don't expect you to live a celibate life just because I'm here when you fall asleep."

He stilled, that little green monster clutching his heart. He wanted to ask her if _she_ was living a celibate life, but he'd decided a long time ago not to go there. Someone as beautiful and brilliant as Adrianna undoubtedly had someone waiting for her, someone who got to touch her; kiss her good morning and goodnight. He didn't have to hear her confirm that.

"I like this painting," she changed the subject again, pointing at the work of art that hung against the wall in front of them. "Who painted it?"

"Aurelius Guti," he rumbled, pushing away that jealous ache in his chest.

"Aurelius Guti? I've never heard of him."

"You wouldn't have. He lived in the fifteen hundreds and this was his only work, so he didn't exactly make the history books."

"Shame," she whispered as he twirled one of her curls around his finger, tugging it until it was straight and then releasing it, watching it bounce back. "He was clearly gifted."

"You think so?"

"Mmmmmm. His work...does something to me."

"It _scares_ you."

It wasn't a question. Everyone responded to the painting the same way...and he couldn't blame them. It _was_ an eerie piece of art. The entire canvas was pitch black, the brushstrokes creating the illusion that the darkness was alive, swirling, restlessly moving over the surface and then, in the very center, a beautiful, white butterfly was casting a little circle of white light around itself, trying to fend off the enclosing night that curled around it like greedy fingers, almost touching its wing, ready to grab it, to possess it-

"It _saddens_ me."

Hades blinked, surprised by her correction. No one had ever felt _sad_ when seeing this particular painting...No one but him. He'd bought it initially because it had reminded him of the girl he'd seen in the vision. He hadn't known her name yet or even that she was real and still somehow, it had reminded him of her; of his light in the dark, of his spark of hope in an otherwise hopeless existence. Now that he _did_ know her, however, the painting reminded him of something else entirely; of the fact that he could never truly have her, that he could never truly _be_ with Adrianna. At least, not without snuffing out her light, without dragging her into the darkness with him...and _that_ , he would never do.

"You feel sad for the butterfly?" he asked, watching her tilt her head as she carefully brushed her index finger over the black paint.

"No," she whispered, making his frown deepen. "I feel sad for the darkness. Don't you see how it reaches out for the light? How it _longs for it?_ How it _aches?_ It's so...heartbreaking."

Hades' tensed, his heart overflowing, those three little worlds he could never say poised on his tongue. He'd never ached to tell her exactly who he was- _what_ he was-as much as he did in that moment. He wanted her to know him _so_ badly, to know _every_ part of him, to see the darkness...and perhaps chase it away with her kindness, her compassion.

Suddenly, she turned in his embrace, holding the wool blanket closed with one hand while her other cupped his cheek sweetly.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, clearly picking up on his sudden change in mood.

He swallowed hard, curling his fingers in the wool, tugging her closer against him. "I have the most amazing woman here with me, naked, perfect. How could I not be okay?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "You really don't understand the concept of a time-out, do you?"

"Oh, I understand it," he rumbled, peeling away the fingers that were still holding the blanket closed, one by one. "Time's up."

The wool fell down in a pool by her feet, revealing that luscious body of hers...and then, she bit that lip and Hades could no longer hold back. His blood simmering, he cupped her perfect behind, lifting her up against his still naked body. She took the hint and wrapped her legs around his waist, her lips immediately molding against his.

"You taste so damned sweet," he growled

She threaded her fingers through his hair, the tip of her tongue brushing over his bottom lip. "You taste like fire."

His cock throbbing, he backed her up against the wall, feeling her nails dig into his back.

"I thought you were going to bend me over your desk," she moaned.

"Later," he groaned. "Put me inside of you."

Her warm fingers wrapped around him and he almost came on the spot, staring into those mesmerizing blue eyes of hers, filled with want, with need, with a desire so profound it matched his own. No one had ever looked at him like she did, without fear or judgement. Only _she_ saw the man beneath the monster, the life hidden beneath death...

"God, no."

Hades growled, his fingers digging deeper into her behind. "Not the response I was hoping for."

"I'm waking up," she croaked, those beautiful eyes filling with tears. "I hate this." She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly...as if she was trying to use his body as an anchor to keep herself in the dream. She knew it wouldn't work, though...and so did he. Nevertheless, he held her just as tightly, trying to keep her with him despite knowing better.

"Promise me something," she whispered as he felt a teardrop fall on his neck.

"Anything," he grunted.

"Promise me that one day, I'll wake up in your arms."

Hades' heart sank, that sick feeling welling up in his stomach. He could feel how much she needed him to make that promise, how much comfort and happiness that seemingly simple vow would bring her...but he couldn't say the words. He couldn't promise her such a simple, basic thing. And he hated himself for it.

"Adrianna," he whispered into her curls. "Listen, I-"

And then, he was alone, rage and frustration making him shove his fist straight through the wall before vanishing from the dream himself, counting down the minutes until the night would once again descend on Earth and Adrianna would come back to him.

* * *

"You're not _giving up,_ are you?"

Adrianna cocked a meaningful brow at the man who was seated on her couch, lounging back casually, his feet on her tiny coffee table. Gabriel Vasquez was the best private eye in the city and her precinct had used his skills on more than one occasion. She herself had only met him a little over a year ago, when the second victim of The Carver had been found. It had become clear that her colleagues weren't very eager to stand by her in this case, Rodchenko being the powerful man that he was, so she'd had to look elsewhere for help.

Enter Gabriel Vasquez.

She hadn't been sure what to expect of the PI at first-he had a reputation for being a loose cannon-but it had turned out they were the perfect fit. They both put their jobs first, they were both dedicated to nailing Rodchenko _and_ they were both tightlipped about their personal lives- which, as the daughter of two legendary vampires, sister of two legends in the making and goddaughter of a Clan of Originals, was something she could appreciate.

"Off course I'm not giving up. I just need to be more careful. If the sergeant finds out I'm still working this case even though he's now officially taken me of it, I'm in serious trouble."

"He won't hear it from me."

She cast him a grateful smile.

"But I _am_ going to urge you to be careful, Adrianna," he said, running a hand through his brown hair as he sat up straighter. "You don't have a police force behind you anymore. No wiretaps to know what he's planning, no surveillance outside of his house to keep an eye on him... We're in the dark."

"I know," she sighed, pinching her nose as she paced in front of her tiny fireplace. "Which is why I just want you to know that I would understand if this is the end of the line for you, too."

His brows pulled together. "What?"

"He's a dangerous man, Gabriel."

"I've dealt with dangerous men before."

"Not like him," she sighed, leaning back against the exposed brick of her wall. "He's not just a serial killer; he's a serial killer who knows he can get away with it. He has money, contacts...and a police force that's unwilling to move in, despite the evidence-"

"Well-" Gabriel mumbled, his brown eyes looking away from hers.

"What?"

"It's just that, there's no _real_ evidence, is there?" he said, adding when he noticed her glaring, "Hey, _I_ believe you! I know it's him...but I can see why your sergeant believes otherwise. Rodchenko has alibis-"

"-provided by his staff!"

"-and camera footage that puts him in his club at the time of the murders-"

"That could've been doctored! They're _his_ cameras for God's sake!"

"Again-" he said, standing up. "- _I_ believe you, but I can see why others might have some trouble doing the same."

"With my record, my suspicions should be enough to at least get a search warrant!"

"Yes, you're twenty-four and already a detective, which is impressive, but you can't deny that sometimes, you're an unguided missile, Salvatore. You see a bad guy and you charge-"

"-and I'm always right!"

"True, but you do things without thinking twice about the possible repercussions for you or your career-"

"I don't give a crap about my career!" she snarled, offended. "I'll direct traffic when all this is over if I have to, as long as it gets that evil bastard off these streets!"

"The point is, others might be _apprehensive_ to do the same. They _want_ careers, they want to become a detective like you, a sergeant-"

"They don't deserve those positions if they're not willing to lose them just for the sake of doing what's right!"

"Not everyone sees it that way. The world isn't black and white-"

"I know how the world works, Gabriel!" she cut him off. "Probably better than you do! I don't see only black and white! I know there's a grey-zone that's made up of about a million different shades of grey! I know there's a margin within doing wrong that can be considered right and vice versa-I _grew up_ knowing that-but Dimitri Rodchenko doesn't fall into that grey zone! He's in the darkness, bathing in it, soaking it up, knowing we can't get to him anyway! I can't abide that and I don't understand how anyone _can_."

He let out a deep sigh, moving closer to her. "Listen to me, Anna. I love your spirit, I do, but it will get you into trouble if you're not careful. Right now, Rodchenko has no idea who you are. He has never seen you, he doesn't know it's _you_ who's been ordering regular raids of his club. It _has_ to stay that way. If he finds out, there's no telling what he might do."

She sniffed. " _Let him_ make a move. At least then, I can charge him with something, get a damned warrant to search every inch of every single one of his properties and throw his ass behind bars for the rest of his life."

"The DEA can't even make a drug-charge stick to this guy and _everyone_ knows he deals. Does that sound like the type of man who will leave evidence in his home? A warrant won't do you any good."

She narrowed her eyes, but before she could bite his head of, Gabriel said, "Again, I'm on your side. In fact-" he reached in the inside pocket of his brown, leather jacket, pulling out a scap of paper. "Guess who I just found."

"Who?"

"Frederik Gerard."

Adrianna's eyes widened as she snatched the paper from his fingers. "Are you kidding me?"

"He's working under a different name, in a different club, but yeah, it's him."

She laughed, feeling ecstatic as she flew forward, pulling him in for a hug. "You are a superstar!"

She could feel his arms tighten around her, his hands pressing down on her back, his breath in her neck...and at once, guilt hit her from every side. She knew Gabriel had a little thing for her, she'd known for a while...but she didn't feel the same way and hugging him might send the wrong message. She didn't want to string the man along. She wasn't that kind of girl.

Releasing him, she shot him an innocent smile and sang, "You know, I'm suddenly in the mood for a night out."

Gabriel smiled back, reading between the lines.

"Are you?" he played along. "Where would you like to go? A bar, a nice restaurant, maybe?"

"Mmmmm, all excellent ideas, but how do you feel about hitting a club this evening?"

Gabriel grinned, already holding the door open for her. "Sounds delightful."

* * *

"This is harassment."

Adrianna shared a fake confused look with Gabriel as she nursed her diet coke. "Harassment? How can two people having a drink in this fine establishment be considered harassment?"

"You ordered that drink an hour ago!" Frederik hissed.

"Well, that might be considered _rude_ ," Gabriel chimed in. "But not _harassment_."

She made a clucking-sound with her tongue, digging into the pocket of her burgundy, leather jacket for her phone. "You know, maybe he's right. Maybe I _am_ accidentally harassing him. I should probably check with my colleagues-"

"Stop it," Frederik hissed under his breath, moving in closer so none of the other people at the bar could hear him. "Don't call the cops."

"Okay, I won't," Adrianna said, putting her phone on the glass bar as a silent threat. "Tell us about Dimitri Rodchenko."

Frederik visibly tensed, his Adam's Apple moving up and down, slowly. "He's my old boss. I used to tend bar in his club downtown before I got the job here. I've been here for six months-"

"We didn't ask for your resumé," Gabriel cut him off. "Dimitri Rodchenko."

"What do you want to know?"

"You worked for him for five years, made good money," Adrianna said. "Why leave to work here?"

He smiled, but any child could see the fear in his eyes. "Have you looked around? His club was a dump compared to this. This place is packed every single night, which means more tips."

Adrianna let her eyes roam around the space as Frederik spoke...and she had to admit that he had a point. She hadn't been to many clubs-only went when she was being pushed by Maggie-but even _she_ could tell this place was exceptional. Multiple black gothic chandeliers hung above the deep black dance floor; a soft blue light emerged from the walls and ceiling; there were booths with majestic sofas where the VIP's were seated, consuming bottles of booze she would never be able to afford; and in the very back, built into the wall, was a enormous window, overlooking the crowd. Straining her eyes, she tried to see what was behind that window, but it was so dark there that she couldn't make anything out...and yet, her eyes refused to break away. As if hypnotized, she stared into the blackness, drowning in something she couldn't see...but she could _feel_ it. Even though she _knew_ there was loud music booming through the club, the world suddenly fell silent as a heat enveloped her, slipping into her pores, her heart, her lunges, making it hard to breath or think or speak...

"Anna?!"

Gabriel's voice snapped Adrianna out of whatever had just happened, the frantic beat of the current song thumping in her ears again.

"Are you okay"

"Yes, fine," she said, rubbing her forehead as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out three pictures. "So, Frederik, when you were working for Rodchenko, did you ever see any of these women?"

"No."

"Are you a psychic?" she snapped, slamming the photographs down on the bar. "Because if you're not, you should really _look_ at the pictures before you answer the question."

Grinding his teeth, Frederik's eyes dropped to the bar, to the photos...and then he froze. It only lasted a split second, his body shutting down, but she'd seen it...and so had Gabriel.

"You _have_ seen these woman," Gabriel said, narrowing his eyes. "In Rodchenko's club?"

Frederik looked back up, his eyes hard. "No. I've never seen them."

"That's bullshit, Gerard!" Adrianna hissed. "You recognized them! Tell me what you know!"

"I don't know anything!"

Grabbing the pictures, Adrianna held them up, practically shoving them in his face as she snarled, "Look at them, Frederik! These are women the man you're protecting raped, cut up and left to die! I know you're not a bad guy, at least not as bad as Rodchenko! Can you really live with the next body that shows up? 'Cause that _will_ be on _you_ and I won't-"

Frederik's fingers suddenly wrapped around her wrist, slamming her hand back down on the bar, his eyes piercing hers venomously. She could see other clubgoers move away, startled...but none of them intervened as his nails dug deeper into her skin, bruising her as the pictures crumpled in her hand. She tried to pull herself free, tried not to show he was hurting her, tried to-

" **Unhand the woman or lose the fucking hand!** "

Adrianna could see the sudden terror in the bartender's eyes at the loud, animalistic command coming from behind her; she even spotted _Gabriel_ tensing...and yet, _her_ body completely relaxed.

Okay, maybe not _completely_.

Her heart raced just as it had the last time she'd been in the same room with him, her breathing faltered, every nerve ending stood on edge...and that was only from the sound of his voice. His low, raw voice.

The second Frederik's fingers unclutched from her wrist, she cradled it to her chest, rubbing her skin.

"I'm sorry, sir," Frederik said, his voice trembling. "But she's been accusing me of shit I haven't done and-"

"Are you the owner of this place?" Gabriel cut him off, addressing the man behind her.

"I am," he growled.

"Then we need to speak to you as well."

"No." Adrianna wasn't sure why she'd spat out her objection so quickly...Although, if she would have to guess, she'd say it had to do with the fact that she didn't like the effect this man had on her and she wanted to get out of there, _now_. Whenever _he_ was around, her otherwise rational mind shut down and she no longer felt like a detective with combat-training and a gun...but like a girl, mushy and completely at his mercy.

She couldn't have that.

"Excuse us for a second," Gabriel said, his hand suddenly on her waist, pulling her closer so he could whisper in her ear, "Anna, this guy is in the same line of business as Rodchenko. He could know him. Or at least help us out."

"I don't think he can."

Gabriel frowned, clearly annoyed. "You don't _think_ he can? Seriously?"

She sighed, realizing it wasn't like her to let an opportunity like this pass by. This was the closest she'd gotten to any kind of inside information on Rodchenko. She _couldn't_ just walk away.

"Okay, you're right," she said, pulling herself together. "We'll question him."

" _You_ ," Gabriel said, his eyes flickering to Frederik. "I'm staying here with our friend in case he suddenly grows a conscience."

 _Alone? With him? In a room?_

"Or _I_ stay with Frederik and you go-"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Gabriel _hissed_ now. " _You're_ the one who knows everything about this case, _you_ know what to ask. Go."

"Fine," she hissed back, hesitating for one more second before she turned...and faced him.

A small part of her had thought that her imagination had run wild after that morning, that he couldn't possibly be as attractive as she'd remembered him...but she could tell now that she'd been very, _very_ wrong. If anything, he was _more_ handsome. Her mind had forgotten certain details, like his strong chin, his luscious lips, his sharp and intelligent eyes. He had a grim expression on his face tonight, but even that didn't diminish his beauty. Quite the opposite. It only _added_ to his aura of masculine power.

"Do you have a place where detective Salvatore can ask you some questions?" Gabriel said when she remained silent.

The man's jaw set even more and then, without a word, he turned and headed for the stairs in the very back, stairs that led up to a room...a room behind the giant window that was now bathing in light.

A sharp shove in her back made Adrianna's legs remember their function and as she trailed after the man, she swore she wouldn't embarrass herself any more than she already had. She would behave like a normal person, like a Salvatore, do her job and catch the bad guy.

Period.

The second she entered the room she'd followed him to, that strange sense of recognition hit her again, as if she'd been there before...But just as she was certain she'd never met that man before that morning, she was positive she'd never been in that office. So what was that recurring feeling of deja-vu about?

He stood behind his wooden desk, fingering through a stack of papers. He was wearing a different suit than he'd had on this morning, but it fit him just as well. The fabric wasn't straining around his tense muscles, but it wasn't so loose it hid them either. Just right. Just...perfect.

 _Careful,_ a soft voice suddenly whispered in her mind. _You don't know this man. You don't know if he can be trusted._

"Thank you for your help down there," she said, noticing his fingers stilling on the documents for a second. "I had everything under control, but still-"

"Ask your questions and leave."

Adrianna wasn't sure why his barking words felt like a direct hit to the gut. Had she not intended to do what he was demanding? Get this business over with and hightail out of there?

So, why did it hurt?

"Okay then," she said, closing the door behind her. "Let's start of with an easy one. I presume you have a name."

His eyes snapped up, touching hers. Why couldn't she just get used to those damned eyes? Why did she always have to forget how to breath?

And why did he seem stumped by her question?

"You _do_ have a name, right?" she asked, watching him closely. "If you're not willing to tell me, I can just take your fingerprints, go back to the station and look you up-"

"I'm Lucian," he cut her off, straightening his back. "Lucian Nox."

 _Lucian,_ she mentally sighed. _Off course he has a strong, masculine name like Lucian. Is there anything_ not _hot about this man?_

"Detective Adrianna Salvatore," she introduced herself, giving him a tight nod. "Homocide. Now-"

"The man you were with called you Anna."

She frowned. "What?"

"The man with his hand on your waist and his lips on your ear," Lucian rumbled, a muscle in his jaw twitching. "He called you Anna."

"He does that sometimes, yes," she said, pushing a stray raven tendril out of her face. "It's just a short version of Adrianna."

His eyes followed her fingers as they brushed the curl over her cheek, the wooden desk creaking underneath his clutching hands. "Do you _prefer_ Anna?"

"No."

His gaze softened, as if he was relieved by her answer...and her body melted. It was the first time he wasn't glaring or scowling, the first time she saw a warm side to him and God, did she like it...

 _Stop it, Adrianna! You don't know this man!_

Trying to break the spell he had her under, she turned her back on him, pretending to check up on Gabriel and Frederik through the enormous window...but it only took a few seconds before her eyes were pulled back to Lucian, catching his reflexion in the glass...and finding him watching her as well, his eyes slowly moving down her body and back up. She didn't know whether to whack him or melt into a puddle. The feminist in her demanded the former, but another part of her-the girly part she always pushed back, but was now taking centerstage-was flustered and even _flattered_. Her skin tingled as he examined her with those gorgeous grey eyes, nerves surging through her, that feeling of drowning in something she couldn't see overwhelming her again...and then, a niggling suspicion crept into her mind.

"Were you watching me earlier?" she blurted out, making his light eyes touch hers in the glass again. "When I was questioning Frederik, were you watching me from up here, from the dark?"

"Why would I do that?" he growled.

"You tell me."

She could've sworn she saw his eyes darken before he looked away again and he snarled, "I don't spy on people. That's more _your_ thing, isn't it?"

Her cheeks turned a rosy pink as she looked away. "I wasn't spying on you this morning. You walked in and I just happened to be there-"

"Do not lie, miss Salvatore."

"It's _detective Salvatore_ to you," she corrected him in a strong voice. "And since we're on the subject of this morning, here's my second question; are you human?"

He stiffened. "What?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, turning back to face him. "You heard me."

He straightened, scowling. "Why would you ask me that?"

"You were in a magic shop."

"Many people go to magic shops, including you, and I'm not asking you about the status of _your_ humanity."

"I was there because it's my friend's shop."

His scowl deepened...and then he pressed his eyes shut and she could've sworn she heard him hiss _Maggie_ under his breath..but it would make no sense for him to know Margaret's name, so she must've misheard.

"And you weren't there for love potions or some other toeristy-things. You were there shopping for an ancient Codex," she continued " _And_ you called Maggie a witch, so clearly, you know that magic isn't just a fairytale."

His jaw set again.

"So...human or something else?"

"Do I _look_ like a demon?" he snarled.

"Demons seldom do."

Those eyes intensified on hers again, making her stomach tingle.

 _What the hell is wrong with you, Adrianna? Seriously?! You've been around attractive men before, right?_

 _None like him._

 _True, but you're embarrassing yourself here, so snap out of it!_

Tearing her eyes away from his, she sank down on the leather couch that stood in front of his desk, draping one arm over the headrest.

"Okay," she said, trying to sound professional again. "So, let's just get down to business, shall we? I'm here to ask your bartender about-"

Adrianna trailed off when she noticed the way he was suddenly looking at her. She wasn't sure _what_ that expression on his face was, but if she had to guess, she'd say it was a cross between rage and...fury. And the strangest part was that his glaring eyes were focused on her _fingers_ which were playing with the wool blanket that hung over the back of the couch.

 _Have you seen his suits? This office? That blanket you're plucking is probably worth more than your car._

Getting the hint, Adrianna got up again, hooking her thumbs in her jeans, deciding to get to the point before she pissed him off even more and he refused to give her any answers. It's not like she could come back with a warrant or take him in for questioning. If her sergeant of her captain found out she was even here, she'd be in deep shit.

"Do you know a man named Dimitri Rodchenko?"

"Not personally no," he snarled, his voice still rough. "But I've been _told_ about him."

"By Frederik?" she asked, eager.

"Who?"

"Your bartender. His real name is Frederik Gerard."

"Oh," he rumbled. "I need to do better background checks, I see. But, to answer your question, no. _Frederik_ hasn't spoken to me about Rodchenko."

"Who told you about him, then?"

"A woman."

She didn't like the way her chest reacted to that answer.

"Is this the same woman you need the protection spells from the Gomorrah Codex for?"

"Who says I need them for a woman?"

"Don't you?"

Lucian's hands clutched the edge of his desk tightly. "Is this line of questioning going anywhere, miss Salvatore?"

" _Detective_ Salvatore," she corrected _again_. "And I was just wondering if this woman needs protection _from Rodchenko_. If so, maybe I should be talking to _her_."

His lips twitched, but the nearly-there smile disappeared so quickly she'd barely registered it before it was gone again.

"I can guarantee you she knows nothing you don't."

 _So there_ is _a woman..._

Was she really surprised a man like him had a girlfriend?

Without meaning to, her eyes dropped to his fingers, something inside of her unknotting relieved when she didn't find a wedding ring.

 _Like it makes a difference,_ a voice sniffed in her head. _The man clearly can't stand you. Besides, you're turning immortal soon. Getting involved with a mortal would be an incredibly stupid move, Adrianna. You can't built anything serious and you don't do casual flings. Although, an exception can always be made..._

"This _Rodchenko_ ," he rumbled, slipping into his leather desk chair, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sat. "He's dangerous, yes?"

She nodded, trying her best to keep her eyes of the shirt that strained around him. "Yes."

"Then maybe it's not so smart to go around asking questions about him."

"Asking questions about dangerous men is kind of what I do."

"Then maybe you should do something else."

She smiled, incredulous. "You and my father would get along great."

"I seriously doubt it."

Her eyebrows knotted together at that, but before she could ask what that was supposed to mean, there was a knock on the door and Lucian bellowed, "Come in."

Another man in a suit entered, but he didn't pull off the attire nearly as well as Lucian Nox did...and she hated that as a trained, professional detective, _that_ was the first thing she noticed.

"Sir," the blonde man said. "A moment?"

Lucian frowned, giving him a tight nod.

"I could come back later," Adrianna said when he rose.

"No," he barked, buttoning up that black jacket again. "I want this dealt with today, miss Salvatore."

" _Detective_ -"

"And I don't have the time to meet with you again," he cut her off, casting her a dark glare. "Nor the desire."

There was that strange _kick in the gut_ -feeling again.

"I will be back shortly," he said, moving across the office.

"Okay, but I can't stay long. I have to get back to the precinct and-"

He shut the door on her without a second glance, making her blood boil.

She didn't like be ignored.

She didn't like it one bit.

"Superior asshole," she fumed under her breath.

She wanted to walk out that very instant, show him that she wasn't a dog who would stay at his command...but more than that, she wanted to catch Rodchenko and she knew that if Lucian Nox would refuse to meet with her again, she wouldn't be able to force him. This was her only chance.

 _And this has nothing to do with the fact that you're not ready to walk out of here...or more specifically, to walk out on_ him _?_

 _Oh, please,_ she sniffed _. I met him three seconds ago! I_ can _walk out!_

 _Then go. He's been nothing but rude to you. Just walk out._

Her hands balling in fists, she glanced at the door, seriously considering to leave...but then, her eyes caught something, something that made her feet head to the wall behind his desk instead of the exit.

Fascinated, Adrianna stared at the painting, something inside of her mind pushing, trying to break free from a confinement she hadn't put there herself.

And yet, it _was_ there.

Somehow.

 _I've seen this before,_ she thought, her eyes running over the black paint that flowed on the canvas; over the butterfly that shone in the middle.

A warmth suddenly enveloped her, as if strong arms wrapped around her body, held her tight, made her feel safe and wanted...

Sighing confused, Adrianna untied her ponytail, letting her curls spill over her back...and it was only then, when she heard him softly growl-actually _growl_ -behind her, that she realized Lucian had returned. She'd been so caught up in the painting that she hadn't even heard him enter. Spinning around, she gathered her hair over one shoulder, his grey eyes following her curls.

His _angry_ grey eyes.

"Sorry," she said, moving from behind his desk. He clearly didn't appreciate her being there.

When _she_ moved, _he_ moved and she suddenly realized he'd never been on the same side of the room as her. There was always at least a desk between them...

"Is that painting famous?" she asked, pointing at the work of art behind his back, trying to figure out where she'd seen it before.

"No. It's not," he barked. "Now, do you have anymore questions or-"

" _Anymore_?" she cut him of, crossing her arms over her chest. "I think I've asked you maybe two questions-"

"Then get to it. I have better things to do."

Her blood boiling, Adrianna pulled the three pictures out of her jeans again, throwing them down on his desk, snapping, "I think _they_ deserve a little bit more of your precious time, don't you?"

Lucian spread the pictures out over his desk, studying the shorthaired, blonde women depicted on them. At least he wasn't just denying knowing them without really looking, like Frederik had done. His genuine interest made her feel a tad guilty about snapping at him...

"I haven't seen them," he rumbled, gathering the pictures again and holding them out for her, his fingers clutching the tiny corner furthest away from her, as if he was afraid she'd accidentally touch him or something.

"Are these the women Rodchenko killed?" he asked as she slipped the pictured back in her pocket.

She cocked a suspicious brow. "I didn't say he killed anyone."

"You introduced yourself as a homicide detective, so I don't think you're asking about Rodchenko because he jaywalked."

She really, _really_ tried not to smile, but she knew she'd failed when his eyes dropped to her lips...and lingered there, his fingers flexing and then digging into the edge of his desk. She could actually hear the wood creak, could hear her own breathing start to turn into pants as his eyes remained glued on her mouth, as her mind went to new, surprising places. For a moment, she wondered what it would be like if he did more than look, if he would touch her lips with his, suckled them, bite them...

Her thighs rubbed together in a weak effort to extinguish the fire he was igniting, her teeth biting down, snatching her bottom lip and drawing it into her mouth-

"Leave."

She was pulled out of her haze of lust by his angry voice, feeling as if he'd just thrown a bucket of ice cold water over her, shocking her body to its core.

"Excuse me?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"What didn't you understand?" He barked, his eyes dropping to his desk again. "Leave, miss Salvatore."

" _Detective_ -" she bit her tongue, shaking her head. "You're doing that on purpose, right?"

He didn't admit to it...but he didn't deny it, either.

Nor did he look at her. Or speak.

 _Is he ignoring me? Again?_

"Frederik Gerard seems to be afraid of you."

He tensed for a moment, but then continued to leaf through the pile of documents.

"I think that if _you_ asked him about Rodchenko-" she continued, unhindered. "-about his history with him, about these women-"

His charcoal eyes snapped up to hers, pinning her down with a vicious glare. "Are you having trouble hearing? I've asked you to leave."

"And I'm asking you-"

"-to _question_ my own bartender."

"Not question," she said, realizing all too well that she was pushing her luck. "But maybe you could convince him to answer some of _my_ questions."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you're a decent human being?"

His jaw locked. "Try again."

She frowned, suddenly seeing a flicker of turmoil in his eyes. She didn't like the way her gut turned at the sight...or the way her heart ached to make that pain go away...

And why the hell did even _that_ feel familiar?

"You don't think you're a decent human being?" she asked, her voice soft.

"This surprises you?" he growled. "A minute ago, you weren't even sure I _was_ a human being, let alone a decent one. Now, I'm not a man who likes repeating himself and yet, this will now be the third time I've asked you to get out-"

"I can get you the Gomorrah Codex."

As she'd expected, _that_ peeked his interest.

"I didn't take you for the bribing-kind," he rumbled.

"It's not a bribe. It's an _incentive_ to do the right thing. If you convince Frederik Gerard to speak to me and tell me what he knows, I will get you that book."

Lucian just stared at her, not saying a word...but he wasn't telling her to fuck off either.

"This is your only chance to get that Codex," she added, trying to convince him. "Maggie will never voluntarily let you near it after the scene you made in the shop this morning."

"The scene _I_ made?" he gnarled.

She bit her tongue, crossing her arms over her chest again. "This woman you need the Codex for, the woman you want to protect...You care about her, yes?"

"Yes," he snapped. "I do."

"Then help me protect the women in this city from Rodchenko and I'll help you protect _your_ woman."

He watched her in silence and she could actually see the wheels turning in his mind. He _knew_ she was his only chance to get that book, to get those spells...

"And if your friend doesn't agree with this deal?" he asked, his voice raw.

"She will."

"And if Frederik has nothing of importance to tell you?"

"He has."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Instinct."

"That's not a lot to go on."

"Yes, it is, but if it's not enough for you, then know that I've been working on this case for over two years, non-stop. I know every piece on the board and Frederik Gerard was a very important piece...up until he disappeared of the radar eight months ago. He knows things. He's seen things. I _need_ to talk to him... Please."

It was at the please that his eyes narrowed into slits and she was sure he was going to physically remove her from his office...but then, he snarled, "Fine. I'll talk to him. I'll convince him."

She blinked, surprised, quickly pulling her card out of her pocket before he changed his mind. "Uhm, thank you. Here's my number-"

He snatched the card out of her fingers, throwing it randomly on his desk without even glancing at it.

"Listen very carefully," he gnarled, pressing his palms down on the wood, leaning forwards threateningly, his eyes narrow and furious. "I'll talk to Frederik, he'll help you out, you get me that Codex and we part ways. Understood?"

She narrowed her eyes as well, trying to hide the effect his words had on her. He was giving her exactly what she'd come for...and yet, for some reason, the joy she'd expected to feel at finally catching a break in The Carver-case, wasn't anywhere to be found. In fact, instead of joy, there was a trace of _sadness_. But that didn't make any sense... Why would she be sad? He'd done nothing but glare, snap, bark... Why would she _want_ him around?

"Fine by me," she lied, swallowing hard. "It's not like you're such delightful company, Chuckles."

She could've sworn she saw his lips twitch at that, but before she could make sure, his face turned stoic again and he gnarled, "Good. Get out, _detective_ Salvatore."

"My pleasure," she sang, heading for the exit...ignoring the way her every instinct was begging to turn around and stay...with _him_.

 _Okay, enough, Adrianna! Just go and put him and this entire strange night out of your mind-_

"Aurelius Guti."

She had no idea where that name suddenly came from, but as soon as it slipped from her lips, she knew Aurelius Guti was the man who'd painted the artwork on Lucian's wall. She couldn't name a single other painting of his or had any clue what the man looked like...but somehow, the name was there, embedded in a memory she couldn't access.

"What did you just say?" he whispered, watching her with a strange fire in his eyes.

"Aurelius Guti. He's the painter, isn't he?"

"Yes," Lucian growled, his Adam's Apple bouncing. "How do you know that?"

"I have no idea," she whispered as she shook her head and opened the door. It was time to end this weirdness. Maybe when she put some distance between her and Lucian, she could gather her thoughts and figure out why the hell she responded to him like she did. There had to be a rational explanation for it, right?

"I'll be expecting your call, mister Nox."

And with that, she left that office, left a frowning Lucian, collected Gabriel and headed out of the club, all the while ignoring the feeling of being watched...no doubt by a pair of beautiful, tormented grey eyes.

* * *

Hades sat behind his desk, emptying his second glass of scotch, the card with her name and number on it clutched between his fingers. He could still smell her. Her luscious, mouthwatering scent still lingered in the room, still penetrated his senses, still set his blood on fire.

How had things gone so wrong so fast? Two days...Two fucking days. That's how long he'd managed to stay out of her life. And the worst part was, that it was his own damned fault. Adrianna had _told_ him about Maggie in their dreams, _told_ him about the magic shop. He'd just been so blinded by the news that the Gomorrah Codex had survived the ages, that he hadn't thought things through. All he'd thought about was getting that book, getting those spells and protecting his love. He hadn't expected to find Adrianna there, looking all sweet and gorgeous...

It had taken all of his strength to walk out of that store, to leave her behind...and then, as luck would have it, she shows up in his club that same fucking day.

Being in one room with her-especially in _this_ room-and _not_ touch her, had been nothing less than sheer torture. He hadn't even been able to look at her without imagining her on the floor, against the wall, riding him on that couch-

He slammed the glass down on his desk, his eyes finding the blanket her delicate fingers had been brushing earlier...the one she'd wrapped around her naked body in their dream. Even just watching her touch it had made him hard-

"You look like crap."

Hades locked his jaw, shooting Aphrodite a vicious glare. "Are you just going to keep dropping in like this?"

"Yes," she said, her eyebrows knitting together as she sank down on one of the chairs opposite to him. "I don't think I'll ever get used to those grey eyes."

"You gave them to me," Hades rumbled, pulling the crystal she'd handed him at Olympus out from under his shirt, holding it up against the light. As soon as the jewel had consumed his immortality, it had turned dark as night and for some reason, his eyes had gone from black to grey, as if the crystal had pulled all of the darkness right out of him.

"Why are you here, Aphrodite? I'm not in the mood."

"Really?" she said, glancing around the dark room. "I never would've guessed. There's suck an uplifting atmosphere in here."

When Hades just glared at her, the goddess added, "I came because _they_ send me to check up. I just have to hang for a little while and then go back and lie to them, tell them your plan's running smoothly, that you've met the girl."

Hades wasn't sure exactly _what_ he'd done to betray himself, but he'd done _something_ , because suddenly, Aphrodite straightened and sang, "You've met her!"

"I didn't mean to," he gnarled. "She sort of...came out of nowhere."

Aphrodite grinned, her eyes sparkling.

"Don't look at me like that," he snapped. "It doesn't change anything."

"Really? So, this _sitting in the dark and drinking_ -thing has nothing to do with her?"

"Even if it did, the plan is still the same."

"You won't be seeing her again then?"

Hades clutched her business card tighter, grinding his teeth when Aphrodite started laughing at his hesitation.

"I have to!" he defended himself. "She has something I need, but after I get it from her, we're done!"

"Do you _actually_ believe that?"

"Yes, because it's true!"

The goddess rolled her eyes.

"By the way," Hades continued, pouring himself another royal serving of scotch. "Is there any way that she could ever remember the time we spend together in those dreams?"

Aphrodite shrugged. "I don't think so. Why?"

"When she was here earlier, she said something."

"Said what?"

"A name," he rumbled, glancing at the painting behind him. "A name I told her about in one of our dreams."

"Huh," she sang. "Well, the truth is we haven't really been in this situation before. The people who use that potion take it because they can't be with the one whose dreams they invade. Never have both subjects met."

 _Yet another reason to stay the hell away from her._

"Alright," Aphrodite said, getting up. "I need to get back. Good luck with the whole _leaving her_ -plan, although, if it keeps going the way it's going, I'll probably catch you in bed with her the next time I pop in."

Hades opened his mouth to curse her out, but before he could, she was gone again...leaving him alone to imagine what it would be like to actually be in bed with Adrianna, to hold her, kiss her, taste her on his tongue...

"Vincent!"

The door flew open at his loud command, his guard entering. "Yes, sir?"

"Get Frederik's ass up here! Now!"

"Whose ass, sir?"

"The fucking bartender's!"

The man nodded, immediately doing as he was told.

The faster Hades got Frederik Gerard to help Adrianna out, the faster he got his hands on that Codex and the faster he got to cut all ties with her.

And it better happen _fast_...because even though he had every intention to see his plan through, he wasn't sure how many more interactions he could have with her before he acted on his instincts; instincts that didn't give a fuck about his plans or intentions; instincts that only wanted one thing...

Her.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 _This is such a fucking bad idea._

Hades sat in the back of his town car, glaring out the window. Night was descending on the world outside, grey rainclouds reflecting his mood. Ever since Adrianna had left his office the night before, his body hadn't relaxed for even one damned second…and he feared it would remain that way, until he gave it what it wanted.

Adrianna.

Trembling underneath him.

Screaming his name as she came around his-

He cut that fantasy short as he felt his hands tighten into fists in his lap. His knuckles and fingers actually hurt from constantly clenching, but whenever he was around her, whenever she ran her slim fingers through her luscious curls or whenever she smiled that beautiful smile of hers, clenching his hands was all he could do to stop himself from grabbing her and doing what he so desperately craved to do...

Every time he saw her, it became harder to walk away, harder to pretend he didn't care about her; that he didn't _love_ her. He was doing what he'd set out to do; acted like a complete bastard towards her to make sure she wouldn't miss him when he inevitably disappeared from her life…but it didn't make this situation any easier _on him_. Seeing her, being in the same room with her, talking to her the way he did…it killed him. She was everything he'd ever wanted, everything he'd dreamt about for millennia and now that she was finally within his reach, he couldn't even _hold_ her. Not if he was expected to walk away from her in the end. If he touched her, if she touched him…he feared he would never be able to let go. Just hearing her voice was already torture enough. So much so that he'd let _one of his men_ call her to let her know he was coming with Gerard. He'd even considered letting one of his men do the drop, but he didn't trust anyone else to handle The Gomorrah Codex, so here he was, en route to Adrianna…for the very last time.

"I really don't want to do this."

Hades ground his teeth, keeping his eyes glued to the window. "I don't care what you want, mister Gerard. You're doing this. Preferably quickly."

"You don't understand. The person that woman wants me to rat on-"

" _Detective Salvatore_."

"Detective Salvatore," he corrected himself, hearing the venom in Hades' voice. "She's asking me to snitch on someone who has connections, who can take a life without blinking-"

"Well, then there's really only one question you should ask yourself, mister Gerard."

"Which is?"

"Who are you more afraid of? Him-" Hades turned to face him, his eyes stone cold. "-or me?"

He could see the man swallow hard…and the hesitation in his eyes. This Rodchenko-guy had to be quite a piece of work if Frederik actually had to _think_ about which was the lesser of two evils. Adrianna had told him about Rodchenko off course, about the fact that he was a serial killer…but she'd never gone into detail and whenever he'd tried to get her to talk to him about it, she just shook her head and whispered that she didn't want to think about that sadist while she was with him.

"Look, you have nothing to worry about," Hades said as the car made a left turn. "I won't let anything happen to you. And neither will detective Salvatore."

"I want to believe you, but you have no idea who you're dealing with."

"Neither do you," Hades said, his voice calm, threatening.

The man swallowed hard, that fear in his eyes growing. "Please, I'm begging you, don't make me do this."

Hades looked away from his employee's pleading eyes, a new disturbing, human emotion swirling through him. He wasn't sure what it was, but he didn't like it and for some reason, it made a part of him want to turn the car around. The only problem was that he _needed_ that Codex. That book was the closest he'd gotten to finding a way to protect Adrianna…and _nothing_ was more important than her.

"Man up, Gerard," Hades snapped. "Tell her everything you know and when you're done, I'll make you disappear."

"You can do that?"

Hades cocked an annoyed brow. He was well aware of the fact that only a handful of employees knew who he really was-only those who worked closest with him- and that Gerard wasn't one of them, but they _all_ knew he wasn't a man to be trifled with; they _all_ knew he was powerful beyond measure. So, the fact that Gerard even felt the _need_ to ask that question, was yet another sign of irrational fear.

"You just do your part," Hades said. "And I'll make sure Rodchenko never finds you."

Frederik sniffed, shaking his head. "You still don't understand. It's not-"

The car came to a halt in front of the alley he'd appeared in on that very first night on Earth; the alley across from her apartment building. At once, Hades felt his heart thump faster in his chest. It was as if the damned thing knew she was near and raced in anticipation. It didn't know this would be the last time he'd see her; it didn't know this moment was nothing to feel joyous about.

It just beat.

For her.

"Moment of truth, mister Gerard," Hades snarled as the driver opened his door. "Now, get out of the fucking car."

* * *

"This is such a bad idea."

"I agree."

Adrianna's eyes flickered to her open Macbook on the fireplace mantle where Maggie was taking up the screen, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You never should've promised him The Gomorrah Codex without discussing it with me first, Anna."

"We're discussing it now," Adrianna said, gathering books and stray pieces of clothing that were scattered around the room.

"First of all, this is not something you discuss over Skype," Maggie said. "And secondly, this is _not_ a discussion, since you've _already_ made the deal."

Adrianna cast her a guilty look as she fished for a bra underneath her couch. "Okay, look, I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about this sooner, but by the time I got home from work last night, it was too late to call you and I was planning on coming by later, but half an hour ago one of his men called me and said he was already on his way, so everything moved much faster than I'd expected-"

"I would've said _no_ ," Maggie announced, leaning closer to the screen. "That Codex is too powerful and in the wrong hands-"

"I don't think he's planning on doing anything bad with it," Adrianna said, shrugging. "Don't ask me why, I just have this feeling that he's an okay guy."

"Oh, really?" Maggie sang, a smile pulling at her lips. "And does this _feeling_ happen to come from between your legs?"

Adrianna cocked an eyebrow, shoving all of her clutter in the chest against the back wall. "It's not like that."

"It's not?" Maggie chimed. "Then why are you tidying your apartment?"

"What, I can't clean now?"

"You never do. For anyone."

Adrianna just shot her a smile. "So, as I was saying, Lucian claims he only wants that Codex to protect someone and I believe him-"

"It's _Lucian_ now?"

Adrianna sighed, walking over to the laptop. "Okay, I see the time for a serious conversation with you has passed, so I'm signing off."

"Sure, I understand," Maggie smiled. "You still have to make yourself pretty for Luc-"

Adrianna closed the computer on her friend, doing one more quick inspection of the room. Her parents had hated the run down place and had offered to pay for a more upscale living situation, but Adrianna loved her tiny apartment; the open kitchen, the exposed brick walls, the wooden floors, the giant loft windows that made the space light and airy. She hadn't gotten much furniture-just a couch, a tiny coffee table and a chest to store things in- but other than that, it was empty. She'd always intended to buy a bookcase too, but she'd never gotten to it, so now, her books were piled up in stacks against the walls. And as it turned out, she liked it much better that way. Books didn't belong stuffed in dusty shelves. They needed to breath.

Her eyes flickered to the giant clock that hung in between windows. Only ten minutes until he was going to be there…and her heart started racing, as if it could feel him getting closer…

Confused, Adrianna all but ran passed her kitchen, into the room beside it. Her bed wasn't made, her clothes from the day before laid abandoned on the wooden floor, the book she'd been reading rested on the windowsill above her iron headboard. Her cleaning frenzy obviously hadn't extended to this room, but it's not like he would set foot inside her bedroom.

 _Unless-_

She shook her head, nipping that thought in the butt. She wouldn't go there. Lucian Nox was a source, a means to an end. He could never be more. Time had run out on _more_. Soon, she would become a vampire, start a new life. Besides, even if she _did_ want anything more, it was pretty obvious that Lucian couldn't stand her. He 'd done nothing but glare and fist his hands the entire time she'd been in his office. That weren't exactly positive signals.

Shrugging off her sweats and jersey, Adrianna grabbed a pair of dark jeans and a red blouse, slipping them on in record time. Her curls were too wild today for any elastic to tame, so she let them hang loose, running her hands over them in a last effort to control them somewhat. To no avail. And then, as the finishing touch, she grabbed the cover stick on her nightstand, trying to get rid of the evidence of her sleepless nights by smoothing the beige makeup on the bags under her ey-

"What the hell are you doing?" she whispered at her reflection in the full length mirror, dropping her hands to her side. "He's coming here with a person of interest, someone you need to question. This isn't a _date_ or anything. Stop beautifying and keep it professiona-"

A knock on the door made the words die on her lips, her heart now racing so fast she could swear she heard it echo through the room.

 _Pull yourself together,_ she scolded herself as she slipped on a pair of heels and closed her bedroom door behind her. _It's just another interrogation. There's nothing special about-_

Her mind shut down when she opened the door…and stared right into those grey, magnificent eyes. Was it just her imagination or did he get more handsome every time she saw him?

"Detective Salvatore," he rumbled, that deep voice making her breath falter.

"Mister Nox," she greeted, taking a step aside so he could enter with Frederik in tow.

When Lucian passed her, she noticed for the first time how tall he actually was. He towered over her-even in heels-and for some reason, that made her skin tingle. She felt so small, vulnerable…and yet _safe_ at the same time.

"Wow, how little do you get paid?" Frederik mumbled.

Adrianna flushed, embarrassed as she closed the door, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about the apartment she'd loved only seconds ago. Seeing Lucian standing in the middle of it-in his expensive suit, wearing his expensive watch-made her feel _incredibly_ inadequate.

"Seriously," Frederik added. "Even my place is bigger and-"

"Gerard-" Lucian growled, cutting his insults off. "-sit down and don't speak until you're spoken to."

Adrianna normally didn't like men coming to her defense; she could take care of herself…but when _he_ stood up for her, she could actually feel her temperature rise.

"Do you have The Gomorrah Codex?" Lucian rumbled as Frederik sank down on her couch.

"No," she said, noticing his eyes turning harder as she ran a hand through her raven curls. "I didn't know you would be coming today. I've been home for maybe an hour-"

"How fast can you get it here?"

Her stomach knotted together at his eagerness to get that Codex, although it shouldn't have. She _knew_ he was only there because she'd promised him something in return. He wasn't there to do her a favor. Why would he? They weren't friends…or anything else. This was a business transaction.

Nothing more, nothing less.

She should remember that.

"Maggie can't leave the store right now and I'm, well, _here._ But we could go get it after we wrap this up-"

"No," he barked. "I'll stop by the store later. Alone. Just make sure your friend has The Codex ready for me."

 _He_ really _doesn't want to spend one more second with me after this is over._

"Fine," she snapped, a little offended. "You can do whatever you want."

"No, detective…I really can't."

Adrianna's heart dropped when she noticed that turmoil swirling in his eyes again. Despite her annoyance with him only seconds ago, that strange urge to comfort him kicked in again. Suddenly all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around his neck and-

Lucian's eyes abruptly tore away from hers. "Ask mister Gerard your questions so we can wrap this up."

She huffed, that annoyance coming back with a vengeance. "You know, if we're keeping you from something important, you could just go. I don't need you here."

" _I_ do!" Frederik cut in, distracting Adrianna from the way Lucian's eyes had darkened. "I can't leave this place _alone_! Not once I've told you! He will know!"

Adrianna felt a twinge of guilt when she noticed Frederik wringing his hand, his eyes anxious. The man was absolutely petrified of Rodchenko…but he _was_ there, ready to help her put an end to him and no matter the reason, that was impressive. No one had _ever_ dared to rat on Rodchenko.

"You _know_ you're signing my death warrant here, right?" Frederik snarled as Adrianna sat down on the coffee table across from him. "The least you can do is let the man who's my only chance of survival stay here!"

"Okay," she said, her voice kind. "He can stay. But you know I could protect you too-"

"No," Frederik whispered, that fear in his brown eyes growing. "You can't. The police can't help me."

"Off course we can. That's why we're here."

He shook his head. "No. There's no protection against _him_. Please, detective…stop pursuing this case. If you don't, you'll get hurt."

"Are you _threatening_ her?"

Adrianna's eyes snapped back to Lucian when he growled those words, the hairs on her neck standing up. God, what was it about this man? He was clearly an Alpha-male…but she _didn't like_ Alpha-males, right? She'd grown up around a whole pack of them and she'd always sworn she'd never fall for someone so dominant. And yet, here _he_ was, acting all primal…and she didn't hate it…to say the least.

"I'm not threatening her," Frederik sighed, his eyes kind on hers. "I'm warning her. You have no idea what's going-"

There was a loud pop…and Adrianna froze.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she'd registered the sound of glass breaking, the feeling of something wet splashing all over her face…but she couldn't move.

And then, she was on the ground, with Lucian crouched over her, his lips moving. She knew he was talking to her, but it felt like she was under water, his voice too far away to make out the words, her limbs feeling numb. When her eyes touched his, it was as if she was staring into the eyes of a different man. There was nothing cold or hard; nothing angry or annoyed. Only worry, fear…and something else she couldn't put her finger on…but whatever it was, it snapped her out of her shock and brought her back into the present.

The present where a sniper had just shot Frederik Gerard.

The present where a sniper was probably still aiming for them.

For _him_.

"Adrianna?!" he barked, his hands now cupping her cheek. "Do you hear me?! Are you hurt?!"

She shook her head, hating how-in the middle of this shit storm-she was _very_ aware of the fact that this was the first time he'd touched her…and how much she _loved_ it.

"I'm okay," she said. "You?"

He raised a little…and another bullet forced its way inside her home, digging into the wall by her fireplace…only an inch above Lucian's back.

Her heart thundering, Adrianna clutched his shirt, pulling him down against her body…and then suddenly, this strange _calm_ came over her. Her eyes drifted closed as she felt his warm breath on her neck; as she drew his masculine, smokey scent into her lungs; as she felt his hands trailing up her sides…

 _Salvatore, stop it! Your life's in danger!_ His _life's in danger! This is not the time or place to finally grow a libido!_

"Don't straighten up," she whispered, feeling his hard chest still on top of hers. "Just roll off me and onto the floor."

He immediately did as she'd said, laying down on his back beside her, his eyes glued to the ceiling, his hands fisted so tightly she noticed his knuckles turning white.

Hating how her body actually protested the sudden distance between them, Adrianna reached under her couch, grabbing the gun she had taped under there for emergencies.

"I don't think a semi-automatic will be of any help," Lucian rumbled, his voice raw. "It doesn't have the range to take that sniper out."

"No, it doesn't," she said, releasing the magazine to check the bullets. "But if he realizes he can't get to us from way over there and stops by personally-" she shoved the clip back in, pulling back the slide. "-it'll do."

He looked at her then, a strange look in his charcoal eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"I've never seen this side of you."

" _Never_?" she frowned. "You _do_ realize we've _just_ met, right?"

His Adam's Apple bouncing, his eyes flickered from her to the shattered window. "We should move. There are too many opportunities for him to shoot us in here."

"I know," Adrianna agreed, cocking the hammer of her weapon. "Cover your eyes."

"What? Why?"

"I have to make it harder for him to see us, throw him off our location for a moment-" she explained, aiming her weapon at her new, _expensive_ ceiling lights. "-and since my light switch is by the door, I have to improvise. Once it's dark, I'll need you to help me push the couch to that door over there-" she said, pointing at her bedroom. "There's only one window in there, easily barricaded. It's the safest place to be right now."

"Okay," he growled.

Looking away from those distracting eyes, she focused back on the task at hand, shooting the lightbulbs one by one, making glass crash down until the room bathed in darkness.

"Ready?" she said, slipping the gun in the waistband of her jeans. "Go!"

In a flash, they both grabbed a side of the couch, scraping it over her wooden floor, using it as cover on their way to her bedroom…ignoring the body that still laid on top of it.

The second they reached her bedroom and ducked inside, Adrianna heard two more bullets breaking the window in her kitchen, digging into her brick wall. Whoever this sniper was…he was good.

"The bed!" she screamed when she shut the door.

Lucian was already on the other side of the room.

Quickly, they grabbed the solid iron bedframe, propping it upright against the window, shielding them from the sniper.

"Alright, now we just have to find something to block the-"

Before she could finish her thought, Lucian was already shoving her dresser in front of the door.

"Good thinking," she said, impressed.

That dresser was an antique.

A _heavy_ antique.

"Do you have a phone?" she asked, realizing she'd stupidly left hers in the living room.

He nodded, pulling out some expensive looking device.

"Thank you," she said, dialing her precinct.

She didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"Eric, it's Adrianna."

"Hey, Salvatore! Missing me already?"

"Eric, listen-"

"Or did you forget something on your desk again? Let me guess, your keys?"

"Eric-"

"When are you going to-"

"Christ, stop talking you idiot!" she yelled, finally shutting him up. "Listen, I _know_ this is going to sound like a prank, but I swear to you, it's not, okay?"

"Okay," he said, his voice hesitant. "What is it?"

She waited a beat and said, "There's a sniper outside of my apartment."

"I'm sorry? There's a _what_ outside of your apartment?"

"You heard me."

"Why is someone trying to shoot you, Salvatore?!" He panicked.

"I'll explain later. But right now, I could _really_ use some help here. I'm pretty sure he's set up on top of the building across from mine. I'm barricaded into my bedroom, but if he decides to stop by-"

She heard a flurry of movement on the other end of the line and realized with relief that Eric had put her on speaker at some point. Every cop in the station had heard what was going on and was preparing to move in.

"We're on our way!" he said. "Stay inside!"

"Stay inside? What do you think I'm going to do? Take a stroll around the-"

He hung up on her, but since he was coming to her rescue, she decided to let it go.

"They're on their way," she said, turning back to Lucian…who was standing with his back against the wall, his eyes running over the room, his hands balled in fists again. For a second, she thought he was scared…but it wasn't fear she saw in his eyes. It was something else…something that looked more like anger, but wasn't…

"Thank you for the phone."

"Will they be long?" he snarled, snatching the device out of her fingers.

"A few minutes."

His jaw set even more.

"Are you okay?" she asked, even though she could clearly tell he wasn't.

"I'll be better once I'm out of this bedroom," he barked. "Away from-"

He cut himself off, but she had a pretty good idea of what he'd been about to say.

"Away from me?"

His eyes narrowed on hers

"You _really_ don't like me, do you?"

He just glared at her, running a hand over his neck…making a little gasp escaped her lips.

"You're hurt!"

He followed her eyes down to the bloodstain in his side, quickly lowering his arm again so his jacket fell back over it. "I'm fine."

She took a step towards him, but as soon as she did, he took one back, snarling, "It's nothing."

"It's _not_ nothing," she huffed. "You're _bleeding_. Did you get shot?"

"No. A piece of glass cut me when we were moving the couch, that's all. I'm fine."

She sniffed, ducking into the tiny en suite bathroom.

"What are you doing?" he growled after her.

"Getting the first aid-kit."

"There's no need for that! I'm-"

"-fine, yes!" she yelled back. "So you keep saying!"

She could hear him mumble stuff under his breath, but paid no attention as she rummaged through the cabinet underneath her sink.

When she straightened again, first aid-kit in hand, ready to walk back out, she caught her reflection in the mirror…and her feet stopped.

Her face was smeared with blood…Frederik's blood. It must've gotten on her when the bullet had-

She shook her head, pushing back the memory; pushing back the emotions. She couldn't let them out now. She would break if she let them out now and this wasn't the time. She had to hold on a little longer, compartmentalize. Right now, all that mattered was making sure Lucian was okay and getting out of there. She could deal with the rest later.

Grabbing a towel, she held it under a stream of hot water and then ran it over her face and neck, wiping away the worst of the blood.

"Are you alright?"

Adrianna turned to find him standing in the doorway, watching her.

"Yes. I'm-"

"-fine?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just take of your shirt."

He straightened, his body tense. "Excuse me?"

"So I can examine the wound," she explained, feeling herself starting to blush.

"No. I told you-"

"Look, either _you_ take it off or _I_ take it off."

 _Did I really just suggest undressing him?_ she thought, feeling her blush deepen. _Who_ are you _right now?_

"Just do as I say," she groaned. "You know I'm not dropping this."

He mumbled under his breath again, but as he turned and disappeared into the bedroom, she caught a flicker of him shrugging of his jacket, so she figured she'd won the argument.

Throwing the bloody towel into the laundry basket, she grabbed the first aid-kit and followed him into the other room…

…and then forgot how to breath.

 _Holy cheese on a cracker._

She really, _really_ tried not to stare…but damn. She'd fantasized about what he would look like without a shirt so many times- _too_ many times-and yet, nothing she'd imagined had even come _close_ to the reality. The muscular planes of his chest, the tightness of his abdomen, those contoured pecks that would fit the shallow palm of a girl's hand perfectly. _Hers_ for example.

When she finally managed to tear her gaze away from his body, she found him watching her with dark, clouded eyes.

Busted, she felt that blush crawl into her cheeks again.

"It doesn't look that bad," she said, pretending she'd been eyeing his wound instead of just shamelessly ogling him.

"I told you," he growled, reaching for his shirt again.

"Wait. It should at least be cleaned."

"There's no need."

"It can infect if you don't let me-"

"I'll take the risk."

"Well, _I'd_ rather not, so if you don't mind-"

"I mind."

"Oh for the love of God!" she groaned. "Don't be so stubborn, Lucian!"

His eyes narrowed on hers and she immediately realized why. She'd never addressed him informally before…Or yelled at him.

"Look," she said, calmer. "Please. If just for my own piece of mind, let me disinfect it. That glass probably has gunpowder on it and my floor isn't spotless-"

"You don't say," he growled, looking over the room again…making her blood boil.

"Well, I'm sorry it's not up to your liking, Your Majesty! I didn't exactly think I'd be entertaining in here tonight! If I'd known a sniper would hold us at gunpoint and we'd have to flee into my bedroom, I would've made sure it was spotless for Your Royal Excellence!"

His lips twitched.

 _Is he laughing at me?_

 _The son of a bitch!_

Her anger and pride taking the upper hand, she decided to stop waiting for permission to help him and just go for it…but the second she got close enough to touch him, he held out his hand and snarled, "Just give me the damned thing and I'll do it myself if it's that important to you!"

"The wound is in your side. It would be easier if _I_ -"

He snatched the kit out of her hand before she could finish her sentence.

"Fine!" she huffed, stalking to the other side of the room again as she mumbled, " _Ass_ " under her breath.

As she leaned back against the wall, her arms crossed defensively over her chest, she watched him pull out the alcohol wipes.

"Not so rough!" she shrieked when he started rubbing them over the wound as if he was sandpapering a piece of wood. "You'll hurt yourself!"

"I can handle it!" he barked, throwing the wipe on her floor and simultaneously pulling a bandage out of the box, slapping it onto the cut. "There! Happy?!"

"Overjoyed!"

They fell silent then, both of them seething…and yet, she couldn't seem to force her eyes away from the man; his mesmerizing chest, the five o'clock shadow on his jaw, his big rough hands… It was a real waste that such a beautiful package contained a bastard like him.

"I didn't take you for the _jewelry wearing_ -type," she broke the tense silence, her eyes lingering on the black crystal that hung from a chain around his neck.

He ignored her, grabbing his shirt.

"Is it something magic?" she asked, watching his fingers still on the buttons for a moment. "Crystals usually are."

He slipped on his jacket, his grey eyes still focused on the wall.

"It's pretty."

"Pretty?" he growled.

She smiled smugly. If there was one thing that got a man to talk, it was hurting his pride.

" _Is it_ magic?"

His eyes narrowed on hers. "Why do you keep asking me that?"

"Because you wear expensive suits."

His eyes narrowed even more. "What?"

"You're clearly a levelheaded, successful businessman," she explained. "So, I'm just trying to figure out how someone like you winds up shopping for a Codex, wearing a crystal."

"My great aunt was a gypsy. That's how I know magic exist, alright?" he snapped. "And the crystal is a family heirloom. Now, drop it."

"And the Codex?"

"Is none of your business."

Everything about him in that moment screamed that the topic was off limits…and yet, she couldn't help herself.

"This girl you want to protect-"

"Enough," he cut her off, his eyes spitting fire. "I've asked you nicely to _drop it_ , woman."

She tensed, her eyebrows almost disappearing into her hairline. "Okay, first of all, you think _that_ is asking me _nicely_? Who raised you? A pack of wolves? And secondly…w _oman_?!"

"All I'm saying, is that curiosity is a dangerous thing… _detective_ ," he gnarled. "It killed the cat, remember?"

"Good thing they have nine lives. Call me _woman_ again and we'll find out if _you_ only have the _one_!"

She could've sworn she saw those amazing lips twitch again, but before she could be sure, he was back to his stoic self.

"And you should probably stop calling me _detective_ , too," she mumbled, her heart aching. "I won't be one much longer."

He frowned. "Why not?"

She leaned back against the wall, shrugging. "My sergeant told me not to go after Rodchenko. His ex-bartender's dead body on my couch might make him suspect I didn't listen."

"So he'll fire you? Just like that?"

"Well, not exactly _just like that,_ " she admitted. "There have been a few other occasions when I've done questionable things to get Rodchenko. It's just that I-" She trailed off, shaking her head. She knew that from the outside looking in, it was hard to understand why she was so focused on this _one_ case when people got killed everyday.

"It's just that _what_?"

A little smile pulled at her lips as this sudden interest in her life. "Who's curious now?"

He sniffed. "Don't flatter yourself. I just want to know who the fucker is that's shooting at us."

Made sense…

"Have you ever heard about The Carver?"

"In passing."

"He was my first case," she whispered, wringing her hands. "Almost two years ago, I was just starting out as a detective. My first call, on my first day was a body drop. A young girl, my age, found in an alley. Now, when I was a beat cop, I'd seen dead bodies before. But none like her. The things he'd _done_ … Do you know why we call him The Carver?"

He shook his head.

"After he rapes his victims with so much force they're destroyed inside, he cuts up their faces, their bodies…and then lets them bleed out. He makes these girls suffer, humiliates them and when he's done, he drops them somewhere like a piece of trash. They have families, friends, lovers…and he just _erases_ them."

She ran her fingers through her hair, frustrated, angry. Monsters like him shouldn't be out there…

"You _will_ catch him, _detective_."

"Yeah," she whispered, shaking her head. "That's what I've been telling myself for two years and now-" She swallowed hard, the image of Frederik getting shot cutting of her breath.

 _Don't think about that now._

 _Compartmentalize._

 _Feel later._

"I thought Frederik Gerard would be the answer to it all," she continued. "But as it turns out, he'll be the noose around my neck. I'll lose my badge over this and once that happens, it won't matter what I do or what proof I find. Right now, I'm going rogue, yes, but as long as I'm a detective, my sergeant and captain will back me up if I'm successful. They'd spin it, claim that I was working in the shadows with their full support… but if I lose my job, that's that. It's over. Even if I caught him in the act then, nothing I would say would be reliable in a court anymore. All his lawyer would have to do, is point out that I'm a disgraced detective who got fired over her obsession with his client. Rodchenko would walk, double jeopardy would protect him from every standing trail for the murder of these women again and their families would never get closure. He knows that; he knows _I_ know that…and he knows I won't let that happen. If I lose my badge, I'll _have to_ back off…and wait for the next body to drop."

"Unless your colleagues find him on top of that building across the street," Lucian tried. "They wouldn't be able to ignore that."

She shook her head. "I'll bet you everything I own that Rodchenko isn't the sniper. Much too risky. He hired someone to do this and that person is long gone by now. Even if he's not, even if-by some miracle-we find him, he won't flip on Rodchenko. No one will. Not after tonight. Not after Frederik."

A tense silence filled the space between them again.

"Look," she whispered after a few minutes. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about this. You wouldn't be in this mess without me."

Those hands curled into fists again as his eyes held hers with an intensity that made her knees wobble.

"And you don't have to worry," she added, feeling her mouth go dry under his gaze. "You held up your end of the deal. I'll get you that Codex-"

He flinched as if she'd just slapped him in the face, but before he could react, a loud creak made her pull out her gun, aiming it at the door.

"What is it?" Lucian rumbled.

"The floorboards in the hall are loose," she whispered, cocking the hammer. "They creak like that every time someone walks on them. And someone just did."

They could hear her front door being kicked in then, hurried footsteps heading their way.

"If you come in, I'm putting a bullet between your eyes!"

"I'd rather you didn't!"

Letting out a relieved sigh at the sound of Eric's voice, she lowered her gun.

"You can open the door now!" Eric yelled. "You're in the clear!"

When Lucian moved for the dresser, she said, "You're hurt. I can do it." but he just cocked a brow and moved the dresser away from the door as if it weight nothing.

 _You're surprised? Did you_ see _his muscles?_

When the door opened, it opened on a room filled to the brim with heavily armed cops…cops who all cast her a relieved smile.

"There she is," Eric sang, his smile dropping when Lucian exited her bedroom behind her. "And there _he_ is. Who _is_ he, exactly?"

"Lucian Nox," he answered before she could.

A few of the cops shot her teasing look, but she just rolled her eyes.

"Did you get the gunman?" she asked.

"No," Damian, the newest edition to the force, said. "He was long gone. But there was definitely someone up there."

"Yeah, no shit," she whispered, taking stock of the damage. " _I_ sure as hell didn't do this."

"No," a deep, commanding voice boomed. "You did _so_ much more damage."

Adrianna's heart dropped as her sergeant walked in, her eyes flickering to Eric who shot her an apologetic look. She realized off course that she wouldn't have been able to keep this from her superiors, but she'd rather hoped she wouldn't be humiliated in front of her entire precinct.

"Sarge-"

The grey haired man raised his hand, cutting her off, his brown eyes disappointed and angry on hers. She wasn't sure which of the two she hated most.

"Salvatore-" he barked. "-did I or did I not tell you _yesterday morning_ that you were not to investigate Dimitri Rodchenko any further?!"

"Yes," she said, her eyes dropping from his. "You did, sir."

"And did you not agree to do so? Be it under protest?"

"Yes."

" **YES**!" he yelled, making the others in the room squirm uncomfortably…except Lucian. She could see him from the corner of her eye, standing by the wall, watching everything unfold with narrow eyes.

"So-" Sergeant Carr continued. "-before I relieve you off your gun and badge, just for the fun of it, explain to me how less than forty hours later your place gets shot up by a sniper and I find Frederik Gerard with a hole in his skull on your fucking couch!"

"Actually-" Lucian rumbled before she could say anything, moving to stand beside her. "-I think I might be able to answer that."

"Lucian," she whispered, shaking her head. "Don't."

"I'm sorry," Carr snarled. "Who are _you_?"

"I'm Lucian," he said, holding out his hand for him. "Lucian Nox."

They shook hands, but her sergeant wasn't relaxing one bit. "And how are you involved in this mess?"

"He's not," she jumped in, shooting Lucian a confused look. "He doesn't have _anything_ to do with this."

"I _do_ , actually," Lucian said, calmly. "In fact, this is really all my fault."

"What?" Carr frowned, taking the words right out of her mouth.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

"I own club Cepa a few blocks from here," he continued, cool as a cucumber. "Detective Salvatore came by my club a few weeks ago to inquire about Dimitri Rodchenko. Seeing we're in the same line of business, she'd figured I might have some valuable information about him. Which I didn't-"

"And how does _he_ -" Carr snapped, pointing at Frederik's body. "-fit into all of this?"

"I'm getting to that," Lucian rumbled, a hint of darkness in his voice. "As I was saying, I didn't have any information about him back then, but then mister Gerard starting working for me. I knew he'd worked for Rodchenko in the past and after a quick word with him, I realized _he_ did have some valuable intel on his ex-boss. I called detective Salvatore to ask her if we could meet up, but when she didn't pick up her phone, I took it upon myself to find out where she lived and take Gerard to her. It was disturbingly easy to track her down. Are you aware that your precinct's firewall is a joke?"

"So-" sergeant Carr said, clearly confused. "-you came her with Gerard and detective Salvatore-"

"-told me to leave," he lied. "She informed me that you'd taken her off the case and that she didn't want to do anything to risk her job. She knew losing her badge would only do damage if Rodchenko would ever see the inside of a court and she didn't want to take that chance."

"Is this true, detective?" Carr asked, frowning.

Shellshocked, Adrianna opened her mouth…but no words made it out. What was he doing?

"She doesn't really know what to say," Lucian said, casting her sergeant a fake smile. "When she came to question me weeks ago, she'd promised me that anything I said or did that would help her nail Rodchenko to the wall, would never be linked back to me. That's why she's hesitant to confirm anything I just testified to. She wants to keep her promise …even though confirming it means _keeping her job_." He emphasized those last words almost unnoticeably… but _she'd_ noticed.

And she understood, too.

She understood what he was doing.

He was helping her; taking the blame so she could keep her badge…and keep going after Rodchenko. After all, a civilian bringing another civilian to a detective because the latter wants to do the right thing, wasn't illegal and it certainly wasn't the detective's fault. So, she understood his reasoning…but not his motives. _Why_ was he helping her? As far as she could tell, he didn't like her… _at all_.

"Detective," Carr barked again. "Is this true?"

She ran her hands over her jeans, her heart thundering. "Yes. Yes, it's true."

Carr sighed, rubbing his forehead. She could tell he saw right through the bullshit, but as long as they both stuck to their story, there wasn't much he could do. There weren't any other witnesses.

"Okay," Carr snapped. "Just both give your statements to an officer. Separately."

As Adrianna gave her statement to Eric, Lucian did the same on the other side of the room. She caught his eye every now and then, but the contact never lasted for more than a second and she never saw anything but rage in those grey eyes. She understood why he was angry, of course. He never would've been in this mess if she hadn't bribed him into bringing Frederik to her; he never would've been the target of a sniper...

"So," Eric said, closing his notebook. "I have everything I need. You should come by the station later and sign the official report, but for now-"

His voice disappeared into the background when Adrianna saw a coroner come in and put Frederik's body in a bag. Cold chills started running up and down her spine, guilt and rage working together to make her stomach turn and her heart drop. She could feel her body trying to betray her; could feel tears building behind her eyes...but she fought back, keeping them at bay. Besides her family, no one had ever seen her cry...and she intended to keep it that way.

"Salvatore?"

Adrianna focused back on Eric, rubbing her forehead. "I'm sorry. You were saying I should come by the station and sign the report. That's fine. I'll stop by later today or tomorrow at the latest."

"Good," he said, his eyes worried. "We're done here, then. Are you going to be okay?"

She nodded, trying to pull of a convincing smile when she sang, "It's me. When am I not okay?"

"Where are you going to stay?" he asked, unconvinced.

Adrianna wasn't sure what he was talking about...until she realized her windows were shattered, her lights were shot to pieces, her bed was still propped up against the window and her couch and floor had blood on them... Obviously, she couldn't stay there. Not tonight. And maybe not even after that. Her little piece of heaven had been tainted...

"Maggie's," she answered, hoping he hadn't noticed the little tremor in her voice. "She lives above the shop. She has a pull-out couch. I can stay there until this is dealt with."

"Maggie's isn't exactly safe," he said, frowning. "You could use one of the department's safe houses-"

"No," she rushed, shaking her head. "No safe house. I know what they're like. I helped set them up, remember."

"Salvatore-" he said, his voice close to a whisper. "Adrianna… This sniper hit Gerard right in the medulla oblongata. I don't need to tell you what that means. This guy's a pro, Adrianna and if he was contracted to kill you, he won't just stop trying now."

"He wasn't contracted to kill me. He was contracted to kill Frederik Gerard."

"And yet, he kept firing after he'd killed him."

She sighed, running a hand through her curls. "I'll be okay at Maggie's."

"Salvatore-"

"Eric," she cut him off. "It's been a long night. Please, get off my back. I'll be fine."

He sighed, knowing better than to push the matter. "If you need anything or if you change your mind about the safe house-"

"I'll call you."

"Good," he said, signaling at his partner-who was done questioning Lucian-that it was time to go. "Be careful, Salvatore."

And then, both of them were on their way.

Leaving her alone again.

With the man who'd just saved her ass, the man who was standing in the middle of her destroyed living room, his body still oozing anger.

"Thank you," she whispered, his hard eyes flying to hers.

She'd never seen someone grow _more_ angry because of an apology until that very moment.

"Lucian," she said, her eyes dropping. "Im sorry about-"

Before she could say another word, he was stalking past her. At first, she thought he was heading for the door, ready to storm out and never return. That's why she didn't move from her spot, why she didn't turn around. For some reason she didn't understand, she couldn't stand the idea of actually watching him walk out of her life. However, because she hadn't turned around, she didn't realize he was still in her apartment until she heard something being slammed shut in her bedroom.

 _What the hell?_

Confused, she followed the noise, huffing when she found him shoving handfuls of clothes in her gym-bag.

"What do you think you're doing?" she shrieked, feeling a little violated when his giant hand snagged a bunch of her delicates from a drawer and forced them in the already chock-full bag.

"What does it look like?" he snarled, his voice venomous.

"It looks like you're either a secret transvestite and you're robbing me…or you're packing up my stuff because you're under the strange impression that I'm going somewhere with you! I'm not sure which option I prefer!"

"Do you think _I_ like it?" he barked, his eyes shooting fire. "This wasn't part of _my_ plan either! But you obviously can't stay _here_! A _sniper_ just opened fire on us-"

"I wasn't planning on staying here. I-"

"-was going to stay with your friend, in _that shop_ ," he sniffed. "Yeah, I heard. I don't think that's a very good idea, though. My place-"

"I'm sorry, _your_ place?" Adrianna shrieked. "I'm not going home with you. I barely know you. You barely know me. Why would you even suggest this?"

"I'm not _suggesting_ anything," he snapped. "You _are_ coming with me. Do you really think you'll be any safer in that shop than you are here? There's zero security, not to mention that building looks like one strong breeze could knock it down. _I_ on the other hand have guards, bulletproof windows-"

"Wait," she cut him off, confused. "Are you _worried_ about me, mister Nox?"

His hands stilled on the zipper.

"Because, the last time I checked, you didn't like me very much. I don't think you've said a kind word to me since we met and-"

"This has nothing to do with _worry_ , detective," he cut her off, throwing the bag over his shoulder. "This is about the fact that some fucker just tried to shoot _me_ and that pisses me off, so now, I have an invested interest in locking up Rodchenko. Clearly, he's after _you_ , so I figure that if I keep you near, I have a better chance of getting to him than if I went at it alone."

"Really? You just want to help me catch Rodchenko?" she asked, watching him closely. As a detective, she had a sixth sense for spotting liars…and something about this man raised every red flag. But, why would he lie? Not to mention his explanation made more sense than hers. Why would he be worried about _her_?

"Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to have to decline. I can get to Rodchenko myself. I don't want to-"

"See," he barked. "You seem to think this is a discussion. It's not. You're coming. Period."

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't do well with orders."

"Off course you don't," he mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He just glared at her, letting the bag slip from his fingers, making it crash to the ground with a loud _thump_. "Okay, I'll tell you what, I'm going downstairs, I'm calling my driver to pick me up and if you're not by my side by the time that car arrives, I _might_ just start feeling bad about lying to the police and I _might_ decide to take a little trip to the station."

She gasped, glaring right back. "You wouldn't."

"Oh," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Try me, detective."

"I would lose my badge! Rodchenko-"

"I don't care!"

"Lucian-"

"And that's another thing," he hissed, his hands balling into fists by his side again. "I don't know when you decided it was appropriate to start addressing me by my first name, but the last time I checked, I didn't give you permission to take liberties, so _mister Nox_ will do just fine!"

Her cheeks flooded with blood, partly out of anger, partly embarrassment. Calling him _Lucian_ probably _was_ overstepping...but for some reason, it felt so much more natural than _mister Nox_...

"So, calling you Lucian is a bridge too far, but moving in with you-"

"You're stalling, detective!" he cut her off, getting his cellphone out of his pocket again. "I'm calling my driver. You have approximately five minutes. I'm gone _the second_ he gets here and if you're not there, I'm going straight to your sergeant."

And with that, he moved passed her, out the door.

Her heart racing, she just stood there, frozen, staring at her packed bag. She couldn't afford to lose her badge...and the world couldn't afford to give Rodchenko free range...but she couldn't possibly do what he'd demanded of her, could she? She couldn't go and hide away in some stranger's house! Right?!

* * *

"I got it, Mike," Hades gnarled at his driver as he got out of the car to open the door for him.

The salt-and-pepper haired man cast him a confused look, but knew better than to question his boss and quietly got back behind the wheel.

With the door in hand, Hades waited. He knew he'd told her he would leave the second the car had arrived...but he _couldn't_. Even though not so long ago, he'd prayed for the moment he could leave that apartment, get in his car and drive away, he now _couldn't_ do it.

Because she was in danger.

And not just in danger of falling in love with him. Not anymore. Her _actual life_ was being threatened. Some homicidal maniac was after her. So, what was he supposed to do? He couldn't just turn his back on her. The whole point of him becoming a mortal, of getting into this clusterfuck, of going through this torture, was to safe her from his brothers, the gods. He'd be damned if he was going to lose her at the hand of some _mortal_ idiot with a gun! So now, he didn't only have to find a way to keep her hidden from his brothers once he had to leave earth, he also had to help her nail Rodchenko to the wall before that fucker harmed her…

If only she wouldn't make it so damned hard for him to do the right thing. He wasn't surprised that she wasn't jumping at the idea of coming with him, though. After all, to her, he was a stranger. Not to mention she was proud _and_ stubborn, a dangerous combination in any woman, but in Adrianna…lethal. She didn't get that from strangers, though. He remembered both her parents being just as thickheaded. He just hoped she would come down out of her own free will. If she didn't… Well, let's just say he wasn't above throwing her over his shoulder. The only reason he hadn't done so to begin with, was the fact that throwing her over his shoulder would require touching her… And his body was still recovering from when she'd touched him earlier… When she'd pulled him down against her, saving him from that bullet, he'd actually wished she'd just let him die. She was so damned soft. And that smell… Everything about her was even more intense, more delicious than it had been in his dreams. Even his love for her felt different here, more _urgent_. Because it was real now. _She_ was real and she was _unbelievable_.

So, obviously, he couldn't touch her again.

If he touched her again, he just knew he would-

"I thought you were going to leave the second your driver got here."

Hades briefly pressed his eyes shut in relief…before turning to face her and snapping in that voice he hated using on her, "He _just_ arrived."

"Mmmmm," she murmured, those sweet lips twitching.

 _Don't smile._

 _Please._

 _Don't do that to me. I'm already on the edge._

"Just so we're clear, though," she said, her soft voice making his skin prickle. "This is a temporary thing until I get my apartment cleaned up-"

"You're not going anywhere until we put Rodchenko behind bars."

-a _nd you're safe,_ he added in his head as he opened the door for her.

She hesitated for a brief moment, looking from him to the car…and then she let out a deep sigh and threw her bag in.

"Fine, we'll do it your way-" she said, adding in a teasing voice, "- _Lucian_."

His hand tightened on the door. He knew _Lucian_ wasn't his real name, but in a way, it was more real than _Hades_. It was given to him by _her_ …and whenever she said it in that honey-dripping voice of hers, he was back in that dream, holding her, hearing her whisper _I love you_ against his chest. Why hadn't he just made up some random name? He could barely hold it together as it was.

"I told you not to call me that," he barked.

"I know," she sang, that defying, stubborn…beautiful smile on her lips. "But, you're not in any position to order me around. You want me to come with you so you can catch Rodchenko? Fine, I'll come. I want him caught, too. But I'm not going to do everything by _your_ rules. I've been hunting Rodchenko longer than you have. I know him. I know how he thinks. So, as I see it, _you_ need _me_ …Lucian."

He took in a deep, calming breath, his muscles aching from forcing his body to stay in place.

"Just get in the car, detective," he snarled.

"You can call me Adrianna now, you know," she corrected. "It's only fair."

 _Adrianna…_

"I think I'll keep it at detective, _detective."_ He said, even though he wanted nothing more than to call her by the name he'd been worshipping for years. He _had_ to keep her at a distance…and from the way her lips had dropped, he knew it had worked.

"God," she hissed. "I'm _so_ looking forward to living with you, mister Personality."

"Get in."

Her noticed her mumbling something under her breath as she finally ducked in the car, but he couldn't make out what she'd said. He was pretty sure it wasn't anything flattering, though.

Good.

As long as she hated him, she didn't love him.

Clutching his hands, he was about to round the car and get in at the other side…but then he realized he would be in an even smaller space with her, alone, that smell of hers enveloping him. Being in her fucking bedroom had already been torture enough. He never thought he'd find himself in the room where she'd dreamt of him, the room where she woke up after spending the night with him…

"Sir?"

Hades ignored the questioning look of his driver as he slipped in the passenger's seat beside him. He never drove in front, but today, it was absolutely necessary.

"Just drive, Mike," Hades growled.

The man once again did as he'd commanded, steering the car to the other side of town, to his home…the home he'd now be sharing with the woman he'd been planning on leaving today…

Somewhere, he just knew, Aphrodite was laughing.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Two weeks later

Adrianna woke at the first rays of sunlight and just as always, she woke disoriented. Every morning for the last two weeks, those first seconds after sleep, she forgot that she wasn't in her tiny apartment anymore.

Quite the opposite.

Rubbing her eyes, she sat up straight in the four-poster bed, unwrapping herself from the fluffy blankets she'd been tangled up in. As her feet hit the solid wooden floors, a little smile pulled at her lips. This room reminded her off her bedroom back in Italy, back in her home. It was big and light and still so charming and rustic. The only thing that kind of bothered her was that this was obviously a woman's room... So, whose room had this been before she'd come along?

It was a question she was aching to ask him, the only trouble was that he was never around to ask questions _to_. And never meant _never_. She hadn't seen him _once_ in two weeks. Sometimes, at night, when she couldn't sleep, she would walk passed his bedroom and listen, but she was now convinced he wasn't even _sleeping_ in the house. So, the only company she had were the guards who stood by every exit and obviously had been given orders not to talk to her, Mike-Lucian's driver who stopped by from time to time to pick up stuff for his boss-and Daniel, his butler. Yes, an actual butler...Who still had a butler?

Yawning, Adrianna headed for the ensuite bathroom that put _her_ little bathroom to shame. She wasn't even sure this thing _was_ a bathroom. To her, it looked more like a spa. It had a rain shower big enough for four, a clawfoot bathtub, giant one-way mirror windows, double sinks, beautiful black and gold mosaic tiles and even a fireplace. A fireplace! Who has a fireplace in their bathroom?

As always, she took her time in the shower, letting the hot water envelop her tired body. She still wasn't sleeping more than three hours every night. She tossed and turned for hours, restless for some reason. She figured it had to do with her suspension. She should be grateful her sergeant hadn't demanded her badge and had only suspended her for a few months. After all, it meant she could still pursue Rodchenko. She had to be more careful about it, but when she finally found the proverbial smoking gun, she would still technically be a detective and her bosses would back her up. The only problem was, so far, she hadn't been able to escape her golden cage long enough to actual _go after_ Rodchenko. It had become obvious that Lucian's guards hadn't just been ordered to guard the house; they'd been ordered to guard _her_ as well. She couldn't deny it made her feel safe. After all, whenever she _did_ sleep, she dreamt of Frederik being shot; of being on the wrong side of a riffle. Not that she would ever admit to being afraid, off course. What good would it do to worry others? This was part of her job, part of her DNA even. Her entire family were warriors, people who threw themselves in the line of fire to protect others and they all got scared at times. They just chose not to let fear stop them. She'd be damned if she let it stop her.

"Good morning, Daniel," she chimed when she finally made it down the long, high-ceilinged corridor and the beautiful oak staircase. Her hair was still wet, but the man didn't mind her fresh-out-of-bed look. She was sure he wouldn't even bat an eye if she walked into his kitchen in her pajamas… but she'd still decided against it and had slipped on a pair of dark jeans and a blue blouse.

"Good morning, miss-" He smiled when she cocked an eyebrow and corrected himself. "-Adrianna."

She smiled too, sitting down on one of the stools that were placed around the large kitchen island.

"Do you ever sleep, Daniel?" she asked, noticing through the glass sliding doors that led to the yard, that the sky was still orange.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, putting a cup of fresh ground coffee in front of her.

She took a sip of the black gold and let the caffeine work its magic. Luckily, her dormant vampire genes already had some effect on her as a human. They didn't only make her stronger, they also made it so she could function on less sleep than the average human could. Still, she was dying for a night when she went to bed, fell asleep and woke up at least eight hours later.

"What would you like for breakfast today?" he asked, running a hand through his dark hair. She could see some silver sparkling through the black, but it suited him. It gave him a sophisticated look.

"What did mister Nox have?"

She could see his hand still on the fridge for a moment before he said, "I don't know. He woke up before I did."

She sniffed, mumbling in her coffee, "You're a terrible liar, Daniel."

The man's brown eyes touched hers, riddled with guilt.

"Has he been home _once_ since I showed up?" she sighed.

Daniel turned again, grabbing milk and eggs from the refrigerator. "Please, don't put me in this position, Adrianna."

"What position?"

When Daniel didn't answer, but instead started cracking eggs right in front of her, she repeated in a firm tone, " _What_ position, Daniel?"

He sighed, grabbing a copper pan from the hooks that hung above the marble kitchen island. "Mister Nox gave us clear orders not to speak to you about him."

She could feel her blood pressure rise. "He did _what_?"

How arrogant could a man be? He just presumed she'd question his staff about him? As if she didn't have other things on her mind! And, yes, sure, _technically_ , she _was_ currently in the process of questioning Daniel about him, but still…the nerve!

"Okay, then let me rephrase," she said, trying not to sound too annoyed. "I can ask you questions about your work here, right?"

"I don't see why not."

"Good. Then, tell me, since I've been here, has there been more than one person you've made breakfast for, yourself not included?"

Daniel hesitated for a brief moment and then sighed, "No."

She thought she'd get even more angry at that…but the truth was, it made her sad. How much did you have to dislike a person to shun your _own house_ just to get away from them?

"Does he do that often?" she asked, hopeful. "Not come home?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don't really know, miss. Whenever he used to stop by, it was only for a few hours, sometimes a day, but then he disappeared again. I don't think he's ever been in town this long."

"He has a house somewhere else?"

"He must have," he said, his eyebrows knitting together. "I'm not sure, though. I never ask him about his personal life. I did once and he didn't seem to appreciate it."

"I know what you mean," she mumbled, that unrest growing inside of her. Did no one know who Lucian Nox truly was?

When Daniel put a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her with a few slices of bacon and tomato, she heard the front door open and hated how eagerly she turned towards the sound. Mike had come in every morning around this time and yet, she always fell for it. Why was she so keen on seeing that arrogant, rude, secretive man?

 _Maybe to tell him that you're not his prisoner?_ That rebellious voice snapped inside her head. _Or that you don't appreciate being treated as a leper? Or that it's been two weeks now and you still haven't discussed Rodchenko with him_ once _? Even if he doesn't want to exchange pleasantries, he still made a deal! The whole reason you're even here is so you both can join forces and nail Rodchenko to the wall, right? So, two weeks in, you should at least have gone over the case together by now,_ right _?!_

"I'll talk to you later," she said, jumping up, the decision made.

"But, Adrianna, you haven't eaten-"

Adrianna was out of the kitchen before he could finish his concerned sentence, following Mike.

Lucian's house had many rooms, but she'd only been in her bedroom/bathroom, the kitchen and the living room. It didn't feel right to be snooping around. Besides...every other door was locked. Not that she'd checked...every day.

When she entered the room Mike had disappeared in, her eyes had to adjust to the darkness for a moment...but once they did, she was mesmerized. Now, Adrianna had been in many offices in her line of work, but she'd never been in one quite like this. Thick, dark carpet tickled her bare feet; a chandelier dangled above her head from the high, arched ceiling and Mike was way in the back, gathering papers on the massive wooden desk that stood in front of a set of giant curtains which she suspected were covering equally giant windows. Everything was so...grant in Lucian's house.

"Good morning, miss," Mike said, looking up from his hands. She wanted to correct him, tell him _again_ that he could call her Adrianna, but after two weeks, she'd given up. Mike was set in his ways, kept a clear line between personal and business and in his eyes, _she_ was business.

"Morning, Mike," she sang, casting him her sweetest smile. "This is one gorgeous office."

He smiled in agreement, shuffling some papers in the briefcase he was carrying. "Mister Nox has great taste."

"He sure does," she said, trying to keep her voice casual. "This whole house is marvelous. It makes one wonder why he doesn't spend more time in it."

Mike's eyes snapped up, pinning her down with a stern look. He knew what she was doing…but that wasn't going to stop her from doing it some more.

"Oh, come on, Mike," she sighed. "He's in his club, right? Why? It's the crack of dawn! There's no one there! And it's ridiculous that you have to drive back and forth, bringing him more work when he could just work from right here. Why have this amazing office when he's not going to use it?"

"I don't know why he-"

"Yes, you do," she cut him off, casting him a warm look. "He's avoiding me."

"I'm sure that's not the case."

"Really?" she sang. "Well, then he wouldn't mind if I hopped in the car with you and paid him a visit, right?"

Mike hesitated for a moment, not sure how to wiggle his way out of that one. "He's very busy right now, miss," he decided to go with, snapping the briefcase shut. "But I'll ask him if you're allowed to stop by."

"I'm sorry," Adrianna hissed. " _Allowed to_?"

God, she hated that word…

"Okay, that's it!"

With her hands balled in fists by her side, Adrianna stalked towards the double doors that led outside, her blood boiling. She knew what would happen once she flung those doors open. Nox' guards would tell her to go back inside, that they had orders not to let her leave unprotected and in the past, she'd listened. Right now, she couldn't quite remember why, though. Sure, she'd still been reeling from almost being killed, from watching Frederik die, but she was passed that now. All she felt now, was blind fury. She was Adrianna Salvatore, for God's sake! She was Damon and Elena Salvatore's only daughter! Who did this asshole think he was, keeping her locked up, dictating where she did or did not go; who she did and did not speak _to_ or _about_?

No!

Enough!

Flinging the doors open, she walked outside with a determined stride, ignoring both guards who were yelling things after her. She wasn't sure which part of town she was in or which direction Nox' club was, but she sure as hell wasn't going to stop and think about it.

"Hey!"

Adrianna felt a sharp tug on her wrist, a stab of pain shooting through her arm, forcing her feet to halt.

"Let go of me," she hissed at the tall, dirty blonde guard who'd wrapped his big hand around her tiny wrist, clutching it way too rough for her taste.

"We have orders to keep you inside," he barked, dragging her with him as he walked back to the house. " _Strict_ orders."

"I don't give a fuck!" she snarled, digging her heels into the gravel of the driveway, to no avail. "You can't keep me here!"

"Watch me!"

"I'm a cop! This is kidnapping!"

He didn't seem to care very much, instead tightening his grip on her wrist even more. She could feel her skin burn underneath his fingers…and that's when her training kicked in.

Killian and Asher had never needed any real training. As pure blood vampires, skill and strength was ingrained in their DNA. It was in hers too, somewhere, but being human, she couldn't quite tap into it yet. So, since she was old enough to throw a punch, her brothers had trained her to defend herself against the things that went bump in the night…and the day.

Unfortunately for this baboon, she'd been a great student.

Controlling the instinct to try and pull her arm free, she instead relaxed and at once, she could feel the guard hesitate, surprised by her fake surrender.

That's when she struck.

Using his grip on her arm as leverage, she twisted her body and slammed her foot right into his kidney, making him crumple to the ground instantly.

As he laid on the gravel, trying to catch his breath, she noticed the keys that had fallen out of his jacket and picked them up, smiling.

"You don't mind if I borrow your bike, do you?"

The guard just glared up at her, but she ignored him, heading for the sleek, black motorcycle that was parked next to the gate.

 _Nice,_ she thought, straddling the impressive machine. _No wonder Nox' guards are so loyal. He clearly pays them well._

Right before she put on the helmet that was dangling from the clutch, she heard more footsteps heading her way…but she was out of there before any of them could reach her, leaving behind nothing but dust.

* * *

"That's all you got for me?"

Hades' nostrils flared as he glared at the warlock, clutching the spell he'd given him in his fist.

"This is a run-of-the-mill incantation," Hades hissed. "Don't you think I've come across this before in every damned spell book?"

"I-I'm sorry, sir," the young warlock stuttered nervously. "But with all due respect, you're not giving me much to work with. You want to hide a woman from outside forces, but you want to make sure this woman doesn't know what you've done, which means those around her can't suddenly stop seeing her, so I basically can't hide her from the world…So, who am I hiding her from?"

"Things that are not of this world," Hades answered simply.

He couldn't give him more information than that. Sure, he _could_ tell him that he was the Lord of the Underworld and that his brothers-Zeus and Poseidon- were trying to kill the woman he'd been having visions about for the past millennia…but somehow, that didn't seem like a very wise decision.

"I truly am sorry, sir," the boy said, shrugging. "But maybe-" the warlock frowned, adding on a whisper, "There is _one_ book that might help. It's rumored to contain dark, otherworldly incantations. Have you heard of The Gomorrah Codex?"

Hades flicked the piece of paper against the boys chest, snarling, "Leave."

And the warlock didn't hesitate.

Had he heard about The Gomorrah Codex…

Two weeks ago, after he'd dropped Adrianna in his house, he'd stopped by the magic shop and-after arguing with Maggie-had picked up that damned codex. He'd been sure the answers would lay in there…but it had turned out that everything of interest was in some sort of code, a code that could only be cracked with a key. A key he didn't have and had no clue where to find. So, he was back to square one…and time was ticking on relentlessly.

 _What if you don't find a way to protect her before it's too late? What if Aphrodite was right to be concerned?_

Hades forced that thought to the back of his mind once again, ignoring it just as he always did. He couldn't think like that. He was going to find a way to keep her safe. Period.

As the sound of a rumbling engine pierced the air, Hades leaned back against the wall of the alley behind his club, rubbing his eyes. Humanity was started to weigh on him. Everything felt so slow in this world. Or maybe he just needed a good night sleep. He never used to need sleep as a god. The only time he'd slept was to be with Adrianna and he'd had to drink a potion to get in that state. Now, however, he could feel how his body longed for rest, but for some reason, he couldn't provide it. If he slept three hours every night, it had been a good night at this point. His mind and body were just too restless to wind down…and he had a pretty good idea of why that was.

The memory of _her_ flashed before his eyes, smiling, talking to him with amusement and love in her eyes…

God, he missed her. And not just the soft, gentle Adrianna he got in his dreams, but even the stubborn, rough around the edges Adrianna that existed in this world. He just missed… _her_.

"Sir?"

Hades straightened, turning towards the man who was leaning out of the iron back door. "Yes, Brian?"

"We have a little situation inside."

"What kind of situation?"

The man hesitated, rubbing his neck. "You should come and see for yourself."

Hades frowned, following him back inside his club, briefly halting when he heard that beautiful voice snap,

"-don't care that you're not open! I'm not here for a damned drink! It's eight in the morning! I just want to talk to Nox!"

 _How the hell did she get out of that house?_ he thought, as impressed as he was ticked off. Why did he even have security if they were just going to let her walk out, by herself?! There was a fucking killer out to get her!

"You can't just come in here, miss," Levi, his manager said in a calm voice that would no doubt piss her off even more. "You can make an appointment-"

"Oh," she hissed. "You can take that appointment and shove it up your-"

"Detective Salvatore," Hades cut off her impending insult, trying to ignore how his heart was racing the second he laid eyes on her. Why was it that every time he saw her, it seemed like he'd forgotten just how beautiful she was? And this morning, she looked _extra_ ravaging. He could tell she'd recently showered by the vanilla scent that hung in the air and the fact that her dark, long locks were damp and sticking to her smooth skin; the jeans she's put on were tight fitting, showing off her beautiful, curvy behind and that blouse…She should never wear any other color than blue. It made those mesmerizing eyes of hers stand out even more, making _his_ jeans tight.

"Can I help you?"

Those same mesmerizing eyes narrowed dangerously, right before she flung a helmet at him, full speed.

"Good arm," he growled as he ducked the thing just in time and heard it crash into the wall behind him.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," she fumed, stalking towards him.

Levi moved to cut off her path, but Hades raised his hand to stop him. Not that he was worried Levi would hurt Adrianna. He was worried it would be the other way around.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she snarled, her finger poking his chest. "You leave me in your house,"- Poke. "Alone-" Poke. "For weeks-" Poke. "Order everyone not to answer my questions-" Poke. "Instruct your guards to use any means necessary to keep me inside-" She moved in for another poke, but he'd grabbed her arm before she could, tugging the sleeve of her blouse up a little too roughly.

But he couldn't help it.

He was seeing red.

"What happened?" He snarled, cradling her wrist as he examined the bruise that colored her skin.

She tugged her arm out of his grasp, her eyes angry and confused. "Like I said, your guards-"

"One of _my_ men did this?"

He could see her eyes widen a little before her eyebrows knit together. "Yes. I left and he didn't like it."

"Who?" Hades hissed.

"Silly me, I forgot to ask his name as he was manhandling me!"

"Describe him."

She huffed. "I don't know. Tall, Blonde, good taste in motorcycles, sort of looks like one of The Backstreet Boys on steroids."

 _Hector._

"Look, it doesn't matter anyway!"

 _Like hell it doesn't!_

"You and I made a deal!" she continued. "We were going to work together to take down Rodchenko and so far, I haven't even _seen you_ , let alone _worked with you_!"

"Actually, as I recall it, we didn't make any deal, Salvatore. I told you to get your ass in my car or I would go to your sergeant and you complied."

"You said you wanted to take down Rodchenko-"

"I never said I needed _you_ to do it. You made that assumption, not me. "

She swallowed hard, her tiny fingers clutching in fists by her side. "You son of a-"

"Why don't we go into my office and talk," he cut her off, gesturing to the stairs.

"Why?! Afraid your staff will hear what an asshole their boss is?! As if they don't know already!"

"Office," he ordered, shooting her a stern look. "Now."

Her jaw clutched. He knew she didn't like being ordered around…but she listened anyway, stomping up the stairs, mumbling curses under her breath.

"I'll be right back," Hades said to Levi.

 _At least, I hope so._

" _You don't need me_?" She fumed the second he entered his office. "You said the whole reason you wanted me to come with you was because-"

"-I knew he would come for you," he finished. "Yes. That's why those guards are outside my house. So that when he tries anything, they can apprehend him. You're bait, nothing more."

The second he saw a flicker of sadness cross her eyes, he wanted to tell her that was a lie; that he would never use her as bait; that he would never endanger her like that; that those guards were there to protect her from any sort of harm…but he couldn't say that. It was good that he'd hurt her, that she hated him. That's what he wanted… Right?

"Please tell me that's not the extend of your plan," she snarled, her voice a lot colder than before. "You know Rodchenko isn't stupid enough to make a move on me when I'm surrounded by security, right?"

"It's not the extend of it, no." And that wasn't a lie. He _was_ looking into this Rodchenko-character, trying to find a way to bury him…but Adrianna had been right. That fuck was thorough. He didn't leave any evidence behind.

"So, you _are_ working on the case?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Did you find anything interesting?"

"Not yet."

"Then let me help you," she tried again. "Let's go over the case together, see if I've missed anything or-"

"Detective-"

"Just think of it this way," she cut off his protest. "The quicker we nail Rodchenko to the wall, the quicker I'll be out of your life."

 _She has a point,_ a little voice argued in his head.

 _I can't work with her!_ he barked back. _I can barely be in the same room with her!_

 _Which is why you need to get this over with as fast as you can. She's clearly not going to drop it and I don't think she'll go back to your house voluntarily at this point, which means she'll go after the man who tried to put a bullet in her head_ by herself. _Is that what you want?_

 _Off course not!_

 _Then, if working with her is the only way to insure that she'll stay near you and your guards, maybe you can suck it up for a few more day!_

"Fuck."

"I'll take that as a _yes_ ," she said, smiling that adorable smile of hers.

"Just sit your ass down," he snapped, nodding towards one of the chairs opposite to his desk.

She listened, gathering her hair over one shoulder, making that vanilla scent grow even thicker.

"So, I should probably catch you up-"

"No need," he rumbled, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sat. "I'm caught up."

"On what's been written in the papers, yes, but there are things we never told the press-"

She snapped her mouth shut when he pulled a file out of a stack of papers and threw it in front of her.

Her eyes wide, she opened it, flipping through it with a exasperated look. "This is _my_ file. My _personal_ file. The file that _should be_ in a locked drawer in my desk back at the station. Where the hell did you get this?"

"Out of the locked drawer in your desk back at the station."

She huffed, annoyed. " _How_ did you get this?"

He shot her a cold smile, snapping, "I have my ways. Now, let's move on. I'd like to get this over and done with as quickly as possible."

"Dito," she snapped…even though he saw a trace of hurt in her eyes again. "But just to be clear though, mister Nox; steal anything of mine again and I'll make you regret it."

He had to hold back a smile as he growled, "Noted." and watched as she curled herself into his chair and got to work.

* * *

"What about this witness?"

Adrianna glanced at the documents he was holding, shaking her head when she noticed the name. "He was a dead end. Drug dealers don't make good witnesses. Especially not those who still owe the suspect money."

He made a low, rumbling sound in agreement, flipping over to the next page. She had to give it to the man, as obnoxious as he was, he would make a good cop. Every discrepancy she'd found in eyewitness testimonies, coroner reports, DNA-results, he'd picked up, too. If there was anyone who could see something she'd missed, it would be him. Unfortunately, so far, there had been nothing...and she feared there wouldn't _be_ anything, either. She'd gone over that file with a fine-tooth comb, so she seriously doubted she'd overlooked anything important.

"What if we don't find anything?" he asked, voicing her own worries.

She sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. The club was already preparing for opening, so it had to be late already. "Then I guess I'll have to go after more evidence myself."

His grey eyes touched hers, a trace of anger in them. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, I go back to surveilling him. It's only a matter of time before he gets that itch to kill again. Serial killers only stop killing when they're stopped by someone like me. He probably already has his next victim lined up."

"And it's probably you," he growled.

"No, I don't fit the profile."

"He kills young, beautiful women! Like hell you don't fit the profile!"

She could feel her cheeks flush. Had he just called her beautiful?

"You're not going after this guy, detective!" he added on a bark, pissing her off again.

"Yes, I am. What did you think we were going to do? Just sift through these files and read the same things over and over again until we miraculously found something on him? That's not going to happen, so the only thing that's left to do is get more evidence."

"Maybe so," he said, his voice stern. "But it won't be _you_ who's getting that evidence. It's too-"

He cut himself off, his jaw locking.

"Too what?" she asked, her heart suddenly racing. "Too dangerous?"

Was he worried about her after all? If he was worried, he couldn't hate her all that much, right?

"Too important," he corrected her, making her false hope vanish into thin air. "I want Rodchenko for shooting at me and since you were his initial target, he probably knows what you look like. If he sees you, we can forget about this whole thing."

"Then I'll make sure he won't see me. I've been trailing this guy for years and-"

"-two weeks ago, he almost put a bullet in your head," he finished her sentence for her. "It's safe to say you didn't hide in the shadows deep enough."

She bit her tongue, holding back the profanities she wanted to spit out. "The only way you're nailing Rodchenko is with my help. I know where he goes, when he goes there, what he does, how he thinks. Besides, even if he does spot me, he won't know you're involved, so you can try it your way when-"

"-you're dead?" He gnarled, his hands balled in fists on top of his desk.

Her heart jumped again. He sure sounded very concerned about her wellbeing for someone who claimed he couldn't care less.

"I was going to say, _when I take myself out of the field_. This will work, trust me."

"Damn it, Adria-"

She smiled when he cut himself off. "You were going to call me Adrianna."

"An innocent slip-up, _detective_ ," he barked, adding on a snarl, "Wipe that damned smile of your face."

She sniffed, grinding her teeth. "You know, I've worked with people of all sorts, criminals mostly, and you are without a doubt the rudest man I've ever dealt with!"

"I find that hard to believe."

"And I find it hard to believe you're allowed out in public!" she spit out. "I mean, seriously... You _know_ everyone is afraid of you, right? Your butler, your driver, those people down there-" she said, pointing at his staff below though the massive window. "That can't be your intention, right? To strike fear into others? If you just dropped the act-"

"It's not an act," he growled, raising from his chair to tower over her. He'd taken off his jacket sometime during the day and even though Adrianna was furious, she couldn't help but notice how his muscles were bulging underneath the white fabric.

"This is who I am, detective."

She huffed, standing up too, pressing her palms down on his desk as she leaned closer to him. She could see him flinch for a second, clearly considering moving away, but then he _re_ considered, narrowing his eyes even more.

"Lucian," she sang, those eyes darkening. "I grew up in a house packed with Alpha Males, with people who are a lot bigger, badder and stronger than you. I'm not so easily intimidated. Or scared. So, whatever the reason you're behaving the way you are, you might want to reconsider treating me like something that's stuck underneath your shoe, because it doesn't work on me."

She could see a flame ignite in his eyes, could see his jaw set as they glared at each other, neither of them willing to break their stance first.

And then, his charcoal eyes dropped to her lips...and her body ignited. She was angry at that bastard, furious...and yet, in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to close the little distance there still was between them and taste him, feel him, touch-

"Boss?"

Adrianna jumped at the man's voice, rubbing her forehead as she took a few steps back from that desk...and the tempting man behind it.

 _What the hell was that?_

"What is it, Levi?" Lucian growled...and she could've sworn she heard his voice tremble.

Had he felt that, too? That electricity? That fire? That screaming urge?

No.

Off course not.

If he wanted to kiss her, he wouldn't work so hard to piss her off. He'd probably just glanced at her lips because she had something on them, that's all.

"There's a problem with one of the deliveries," this Levi-person said as she ran her fingers over her mouth.

"Okay," Lucian growled, walking out of the room without another word or a single glance her way.

For once though, she was glad he was an ass. If he'd looked at her, he might've noticed her red cheeks or the way her breathing was still shallower than it should be. She'd never felt like this; like she'd just finished a marathon, but without the exhaustion. She could practically _feel_ the endorphins coursing through her body, setting her blood alight, making her pant. And that pull... When he'd stood there, within her reach, she'd never wanted to be close to anyone the way she'd wanted to be close to him. It hadn't even been a _want_ , more a _need_. If Levi hadn't come in when he had, she wasn't sure what would've happened...

Rubbing her forehead, she sank down on his couch, her back immediately molding into the leather. This couldn't be happening. Not now. She couldn't get _feelings_ for anyone _now_. In a few months, she was going to leave this life behind and become a vampire. Getting involved with someone would only make that decision hurt...

Moaning softly, she laid down, her eyes suddenly growing too heavy to keep open.

And then, for the first time in weeks, Adrianna fell into a deep sleep, breathing in his warm scent.

It would only be much later that she would realize her mind and body could only truly rest when Hades was nearby.

* * *

Hades watched as the man who he'd just torn a new one scampered out of the room. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he'd been unfair. The order his people had send over to the supplier had been unclear and anyone could've made the same mistake...but after being stuck in one room with Adrianna for hours, drowning in her scent, forcing his body to stay away from her, he'd been a tad _frustrated_ , to say the least, and the delivery-guy had been his proverbial punching bag.

Rubbing his forehead, Hades sank back against a shelve, trying to get the image of Adrianna's lips out of his mind; of her neck flushing; of her breathing turning shallow...

"Fuck!"

"Sir?" Cindy, one of his waitresses, stuck her head inside, her brown eyes worried. "Everything okay?"

"Perfect," he snapped. "What is it?"

She hesitated for a brief moment and then said, "We're about to open and I know you don't like being on the floor when the crowd comes in."

Hades nodded, rumbling a quick _thank you_ before pushing passed her, into the club. His first instinct was to go left, back up into his office...but _she_ was there. So instead, he turned, giving his security strict instructions not to let anyone in-or out- of his office and then slipped out the back, disappearing into the hotel right next door.

"Good evening, boss," Seth, his receptionist said politely as he rushed passed.

When Hades had built his first club in Austria, the supernatural land there had been so big the club hadn't covered it all and since supernatural ground was rare and he needed it to appear on earth as a god, he hadn't been about to let any go to waste. So as a solution, he'd built a hotel right next door. When he'd found his second patch of land, same story and after a while, his chain had become so well renowned, it would've raised eyebrows if he'd suddenly stopped building the club-hotel combo. As a result, to diverge suspicion, he'd built both in every spot he'd found land.

"Mister Nox," a hostess greeted when he entered the restaurant on the ground floor of his hotel.

Hades shot her a tight nod as he made a straight line to his private table. As a god, Hades had never had the need to eat, but as a human, he'd found food to be a necessity to function.

"What will it be tonight, sir?" A petite waitress asked, her voice full of nerves.

Adrianna was right. People really _did_ fear him...except the one person he _needed_ to be afraid. Why couldn't she just stay away from him, enjoy the luxuries of his house and let him deal with things?

 _Because that's not who she is. And you love that about her._

"The usual," he answered the girl's question, unbuttoning his jacket.

 _Has Adrianna eaten?_

"And make sure the chef has a freshly made lasagna ready by the time I'm finished," he rumbled as that question popped into his head. "To go."

The girl frowned at the addition to his regular order, but then wrote it down neatly, thanked him and headed for the kitchen.

After Hades had finished and the lasagna had been brought to him as requested, he decided it was time to face the music. He was sure she would have a thing or two to say about him leaving her and once again ordering people to keep her where she was, but he hoped the food would take the edge of her anger.

Although, deep down, he knew it wouldn't.

Entering the club through his private entrance, away from the crowd, Hades could feel his blood heat more and more the closer he got to his office. How was he supposed to do this for days, maybe even weeks? How could he be close to her and not _be_ with her?

"Okay," he said, entering his office with his free palm raised in a calming gesture. "I know, I'm a rude bastard and-"

He trailed off when he saw her, lying on his couch, breathing in a soft rhythm. Quietly, he closed the door without taking his eyes of her. This must've been what she looked like whenever they'd shared a dream. Peaceful, innocent, sweet.

"God, I love you," he whispered.

Even though he knew she couldn't hear him, he just wanted to say it to her, out loud, just once.

His heart aching, he sat himself behind his desk again, trying to pick up where he'd left off in Rodchenko's file...but suddenly, the letters became blurry and his eyelids felt heavier than before.

Yawning, he sank deeper into his soft chair, molding his body into the leather.

And then, for the first time in weeks, Hades fell into a deep sleep, listening to her breathing.

It would only be much later that he would realize his mind and body could only truly rest when Adrianna was nearby.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Moonlight was streaking in through the window, bathing the room in a mystical, silver light. Adrianna was lying on the bed, gasping, biting her lip, her knees shaking on his shoulders. His tongue felt so good, his nine o'clock shadow scraping against the insides of her thighs, the sting making her heels dig into his back. She could feel how close she was, but the man between her legs knew what he was doing, bringing her to the edge and then making her come down again just so he could take her there again. It was driving her insane, making her furious…and yet, she wanted to praise his name.

"God, Lucian," she moaned as her fingers curled into the sheets."Please."

She could feel him growl against her, his charcoal eyes looking up with a flame in them that made her shiver. No one had ever looked at her like that; with such carnal desire.

His hands tightened on her hips, glueing her against his mouth as his tongue delved deeper, moved faster, hit every spot it could possibly hit.

"God, god, gaaawwwd!" she screamed, feeling herself explode underneath his mouth, her muscles spasming as his tongue turned softer, licked slower, sweeter.

When she collapsed, spent, he let go of her hips and kissed his way up her body, his lips rough on her still sensitive skin.

Her back arched when he softly bit her neck; his warm, muscled chest grinding against her breasts.

Threading her fingers though his hair, she kissed his shoulder, wrapping her legs around his hips.

"You taste so good," he growled, brushing his lips over hers. "Warm. Sweet."

She moaned, her hands running over his back, her fingers digging into his strong, tense muscles.

"This is crazy, Lucian," she whimpered. "I don't know you. I don't even like you most of the time."

"Don't you?" he rumbled. "Then why does your heart race every time you see me? Why do you miss me when I'm not around?"

She swallowed hard, shivering as his fingers slid over her legs, legs that were still wrapped around him. "I don't miss you."

His eyes pierced hers intensely, his lips twitching. "You're lying."

"I'm not," she groaned, feeling his hand slide to her inner thigh. "You're mean. And rude. And obnoxious. And _fuck_." Her mind turned into mush when his finger teased her clit, making her whole body sing. She could feel her soul begging her to give him what he wanted, what _she_ wanted, even though she knew it made no sense to want it. He was a stranger…and yet, when she was with him, she felt more comfortable than she'd ever felt around anyone. She didn't feel awkward or judged; she didn't feel like a Salvatore or The Crescător. She was just a girl…and she longed for him.

"Give yourself to me, sweetness," he growled. "Surrender. You want to. I tasted it."

She groaned, her hips arching, her bare skin rubbing against his jeans. "God, I-"

A loud _bang_ coming from outside the room cut her off.

Cursing under his breath, Lucian peeled himself off her protesting body, slipping on his shirt again.

"Wait here," he ordered, his simmering eyes running over her once more before he stalked out of the room, still cursing.

Sighing, Adrianna tried to regain some common sense...but failed. She knew it made no sense to crave him the way she did…but knowing that didn't make the desire go away. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she'd wanted him from the moment they'd met and the longer she stayed with him, the worse it got. Every once in a while, she saw glimpses of the man underneath the cold bastard, the caring, sweet, sometimes funny man he seemed determined to hide and it was _that_ man who pulled her in.

Running a hand through her curls, Adrianna rolled onto her belly, biting her lip as she realized she wouldn't deny him any longer. She couldn't. It was as if some deeper, primal part of her demanded she'd give into him and she didn't want to fight that part any longer. Tonight would be the night she'd lose her virginity…to a man she barely knew.

That is, if he ever came back to her.

 _What is taking him so long?_

Patience was not her strong suit.

Frowning, Adrianna slipped on the black, silk robe that had been abandoned on the floor and tiptoed out of the room. She wasn't sure why she'd grabbed her gun on the way out. Instinct, maybe. There was just something inside of her that was whispering silent warnings.

"Lucian?!" she called out as she walked down the impressive staircase, deactivating the safety on her gun. "Where are you?!"

The floorboards creaked underneath her bare feet as she sharpened her senses, listening…

"Lucian?!" she yelled louder. "Talk to me!"

A light flipped on in the living room and she was like a moth to a flame.

An _armed_ moth, be warned.

Her finger already on the trigger, she walked into the illuminated room, her trained eyes immediately taking stock of every nook and cranny…but there was no one there.

Tiny alarm bells were starting to go off in her head, her stomach turning.

 _Who the hell turned on the light? Something isn't-_

A creak behind her made her turn in a swirl…and then, her heart dropped.

Cocking the hammer, she felt sweat trickle down her neck as she took in the sight before her. Dimitri Rodchenko was standing right there…but so was Lucian, with a knife to his throat.

"Hello, detective Salvatore," the man said, his Russian accent coming through the american. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you face to face."

Adrianna tried to stay calm as those green, malicious eyes slowly slid down, to her bare legs. She used his temporary distraction to search for a clean shot…but there wasn't any. Lucian was too broad and Rodchenko used that to his advantage, hiding from her bullets behind Lucian's huge posture.

Swallowing hard, she caught Lucian's gaze, trying to communicate that everything was going to be alright…but she could tell by the darkness in his eyes that he didn't believe her.

"Rodchenko," she hissed. "You have no idea what you're doing and _who_ you're doing it _to_. You _really_ don't want to piss me off. "

"Don't I?"

"No, you don't. Let go of him right now or I'll hunt you-"

"You're _already_ hunting me," he cut her off, smiling a vicious smile. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice, detective? Did you really think there would be no consequences?"

" _Someone_ has to hunt you!" she snarled. "You're a fucking murdere-"

She swallowed her insult when he tightened the knife against Lucian's throat.

" _He_ has nothing to do with this," she snapped. "This is between you and me."

"Oh, I wish it was, but _you_ brought him into our business and now, _I_ have to take him out of it. _You_ did this."

Those eyes that haunted her nightmares intensified on hers, a spark in them that made her sick…and in that moment, she knew.

"No!"

Lucian's charcoal eyes widened on hers a second before the blade ran across his throat.

"Lucian!"

Rodchenko dropped him like a piece of trash and even though she had a clear shot on him now, she let go of her gun and fell to her knees, pressing her hands against Lucian's throat, trying to stop the bleeding…even though she knew she couldn't. His jugular was cut clean through, blood pumping out of his body with every passing beat of his heart.

"No! God, no!"

 _What have I done?_

"It's going to be okay," she lied, her heart screaming out, her soul pleading with however was on the other side to spare his life. She couldn't lose him. Not him.

 _God, please, not him._

"It's going to be okay, Lucian," she whispered again, tears dripping from her chin as his eyes grew unfocused on hers. "Hold on. It's going to be okay, it's going to be okay, it's going to be-"

"- _okay_?" A familiar voice mocked. "I don't think so."

Adrianna looked up at where Rodchenko had been standing only seconds ago. He was gone now; replaced by a woman with raven hair, bright blue eyes and an amused grin on her lips. Her eyes wide, she tried to wrap her mind around what she was seeing.

 _Her_ hair.

 _Her_ eyes.

 _Her_ lips.

"You did this," her mirror image said, her eyes turning black. "Did you really think there would be no consequences?"

Adrianna woke, panting, her heart racing out of control. She could feel sweat trickle down her body, could feel the sheets stick to her damp skin. Closing her eyes, she tried to erase the nightmare from her mind…but in the darkness, she saw him, lying on that floor, bleeding, dying-

Sitting up, she tried to catch her breath, staring at her trembling hands. She could still feel his blood seeping through her fingers, could still smell that coppery scent in the air and for the first time, she missed the days when she couldn't remember her dreams.

 _Did you really think there would be no consequences?_

Cursing, she got out of bed, slipping on the black robe that hung over the armchair. It was still the dead of night, but she knew she wouldn't sleep a wink anymore and if she stayed in that room, she would only drive herself crazy. So, instead, she headed downstairs, hoping Lucian's private bar was still fully stocked.

"It wasn't real," she softly reminded herself as she walked down the giant hallway, pushing back the nausea. "He's fine. Lucian's fine. It wasn't-"

She trailed off when the most beautiful music came drifting towards her. The first thing that came to mind was that Lucian's butler was a closeted virtuoso, but then she realized it was well into the night, so he'd gone home by now. She didn't even _think_ about the possibility that it could be Lucian since he was never home when she was. After she'd confronted him about his attitude a week ago, they'd been working together again and he'd agreed not to shun the house just because she was there...but he still only came home when she was already asleep and left before she was up. She wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose or if that's just how a club owner lived, but either way, it was strange to see him in the middle of the night, sitting behind a piano in a room packed with books, playing so beautifully it took her breath away.

Staying very quiet, she watched him through the crack in the door, his fingers dancing on the keys. The room was completely dark, the only light coming from the moonlight that was streaking in through the floor-to-ceiling window. The silver glow enveloped him, made him look even more magical than he already looked to begin with...but there was something different about him tonight, too. For the first time, Adrianna saw a softness in him, a vulnerability she hadn't seen before. As he played, she could see every emotion he felt on his chiseled face. This was him when he wasn't putting on his mask, when he wasn't trying to hide from the world...and it was heartbreaking. She saw such sadness, such pain inside of him. All she wanted to do was go to him, wrap her arms around his chest and make it go away. She didn't know why, but deep down, she had a feeling that only _she_ could make that hurt disappear, that only _she_ could give him peace. It made no sense, she knew that, but something inside of her was screaming to go to him, to push that door open and-

The music stopped abruptly and when her eyes slid up from the piano to his face, she realized what had disturbed him.

 _She_ had.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, pushing the door open completely. "I heard you play and I-"

"Did I wake you?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

She shook her head. "No, I just had a nightmare and I couldn't fall asleep after-"

 _After watching you die._

She swallowed hard, wrapping her arms around herself.

"What was the nightmare about?" he asked, those eyes piercing hers so intensely her mind flashed back to the good part of her dream. She could practically feel his weight on top of her, his lips on hers, his tongue in her mouth-

"I don't really want to talk about it," she whispered, praying he hadn't noticed her skin flushing.

"Are you sure?"

She just cast him a little smile as she nodded at the piano. "I didn't know you played."

He seemed to understand the subtle clue and instead of pushing the subject, he rumbled, "A little."

" _A little_?" she huffed, leaning against the doorframe. "That was _amazing_ , Lucian."

He looked away from her...but she could've sworn his eyes had dropped to her bare legs for just a moment on their way back to the piano…and it only made her blush deepen. She was well aware of the fact that she was only wearing a robe and though this should've made her uncomfortable, it _didn't_ for some reason.

"I didn't recognize the piece you were playing. Who wrote it?"

"I did."

She straightened, blinking wildly. He'd said that as if it was no big deal, but she'd never heard a song that had touched her more than his had.

" _You_ wrote that?"

He nodded, his jaw setting for some reason.

"Lucian, it's beautiful." She frowned, watching him as he hastily gathered the sheet music...as if he wanted to hide it from her. Why was he so opposed to her seeing this new side to him. "It's also sad."

His hands stilled, his eyes hard on the piano.

She knew she was pushing her luck, but she still heard herself whisper, "Did you write it for _her_?"

His eyes snapped back to hers, confused. "Her?"

"The woman you needed The Gomorrah Codex for. The one you want to protect."

He sniffed, shutting the lid of the piano with a loud bang. "You shouldn't talk about things you know nothing about."

"So, enlighten me."

He froze for a moment, but then, his eyes turned hard again and he snapped, "Goodnight, detective."

He started to move towards the second door in the back of the room and she knew she should just let him leave. He was clearly not in the mood for company...but _she_ was. Especially for _his_ company. When he was in the room with her, she could feel the memory of that nightmare fade. He was safe, alive...not dead, on a floor, because of her.

"Wait." She'd whispered the word so softly she was sure he couldn't have heard...and yet, he stopped, his back still turned to her.

"I won't bring her up again," she promised, seeing his body tense even more. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business. But, could you stay? I know it's stupid, but I don't really want to be alone right now."

She noticed his hands balling in fists by his side, but he didn't move.

"Please."

He let out a deep sigh the moment she uttered the plea, his head dropping before he spun around and snarled, "Fine."

She smiled, entering the room. The wood beneath her feet was suddenly replaced by soft, warm carpet and before she could help herself, she started imagining being laid down on that carpet, curling into it as Lucian trailed his tongue up her back-

 _Stop!_

What the hell was going on with her? She'd never been one to be ruled by lust. That's why she was still a virgin! While her friends had all swooned at the sight of handsome men, she'd always kept a clear head. No one had ever really effected her in a physical or even an emotional way...until Lucian. But why? She didn't even know him?

Trying to get her mind of its current path, she walked around the room, running her expert gaze over the array of books. He was an ever bigger bibliophile than she was. And he clearly felt the same way about bookcases. All of his books were stacked, too; scattered randomly.

"Are all these yours?"

"No," he said, cocking an eyebrow. "I open my house up to strangers so they can store their books here."

She laughed, surprised. "Was that a _joke_ , Mister Nox?"

He seemed as shocked as she was, blinking wildly before looking away again.

"I see now why you lock your rooms when you're away," she said, crouching down in front of a pile of valuable book. "Put together, these are probably worth more than your house. Definitely more than my apartment. Where did you find them?"

"I have my contacts."

"Let me guess, none you want to share with a cop?" Her lips curled knowingly when he didn't answer. "You know, technically, I'm not a cop right now. I'm suspended, remember."

"But you'll be a cop again soon enough."

"True," she said, her smile dropping a little when she added, "At least for a few more months."

"What do you mean?" he rumbled.

"My family are-" _good vampires who protect humans from rogue vampires._ "-private security contractors of a sort. When I turn twenty-five, I can finally join the firm."

"You don't seem thrilled about it," he said, his brows pulling together.

She shrugged. "I am, but I love being a detective, too. And I'll miss the people here."

 _I'll miss you._

The thought had popped in her head from some dark corner of her mind, knocking the wind right out of her. She would miss him? No. That made no sense. How could she miss him?

 _Why do you miss me when I'm not around?_ she heard Lucian whisper in her dream again, practically feeling his fingers on her legs.

Clearing her throat, she sat down at the piano, feeling his eyes on her.

"Who taught you to play?" she asked, changing the subject again.

"I taught myself," he rumbled, leaning against the wall beside the window, his arms crossed over his chest.

"With me, it was my mom," she said, opening the lid of the piano again and playing a tune of her own. "One of my first memories is with my mother, sitting beside her on a stool like this one, listening to the music she created." She smiled at the memory. "My brothers and I always say our mom playing the piano was the soundtrack to our childhood."

"Must be nice."

The way he'd said that made her heart clench in her chest. Something told her his childhood hadn't been as happy and warm as hers…

"What about you?" she asked, getting up from behind the piano and moving to the window. The world outside was quiet, peaceful, beautiful. The full moon above painted the tips of the trees, the dew on the grass. "Any brothers? Sisters? Weird cousins?"

When he didn't answer, she looked away from the postcard outside and found him watching her, his eyes running over her in a way that made her skin sizzle...but when his eyes moved up and met hers, the spell was broken and he looked away again, rumbling,

"I have more family than I care for."

"You don't get along?" She asked, trying to make her heart return to its normal pace.

"To say the least."

"So, you don't see them?"

 _You're pushing it again,_ she thought, watching him as he moved to a stack of books by the unlit fireplace, grabbing the bottle of scotch that was perched on top of it.

"Can I have some of that?" she asked, hating the loaded silence that had fallen over the room.

He didn't answer, but he _did_ pour two glasses instead of one.

When he handed her the scotch, he held the glass at the very edge, as if afraid she'd touch him...but that made no sense. Or maybe he was a germaphobe? No, she would've noticed that before.

"It's not an option," he said when she raised the glass to her lips.

"What isn't?"

"Not seeing my family," he rumbled to her surprise. She'd been sure he was going to change the topic…or walk out. "My two brothers and I are sort of in business together, so we _have_ to be around one another."

"Oh," she frowned. "I thought you worked alone."

"Unfortunately, no. We each have our own responsibilities. Some have nicer ones than others."

"You don't like yours?" she asked, noticing the destain in his voice.

He shrugged, drinking from his scotch before rumbling, "It doesn't matter what I like."

"It should."

She saw his lips twitch as his eyes lost that hard edge to them for just a split second.

"I _get_ why you don't like it," she continued when he didn't speak. "You leave the house before the sun comes up and you leave your club when the night is already pitch black. You spend your days in the dark."

"I'm used to the dark," he growled.

She frowned, her heart aching for him. No one should ever be _used_ to darkness.

"You can't talk to your brothers and find something else to do? I mean, you _share_ the business. You have an equal say."

"You would think so, right?" he gnarled, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

She cast him a little sad smile, hating the defeat and anger she saw on his face. It didn't suit him. He was Lucian Nox. He oozed power, even danger. Why would he just make peace with his faith?

"Why don't you fight them? _Demand_ a different position within the company?"

"It's not that easy."

"Okay," she whispered. "Then why don't you get out?"

"Get out?"

"Do something else. Sell your share of the business and move on to something you _do_ love. Write music. Play the piano."

"It's not-"

"-that easy?" she finished for him. "Yeah, you said. But aren't the best things in life hard?"

He sniffed, taking another gulp of his drink. "You're twenty-four. Wait 'till you're my ages and _then_ talk to me about life."

She flinched at the unexpected insult, looking away from his dark eyes. He probably didn't realize he'd hit her where it hurt, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Growing up around vampires, even around her brothers, she'd always been the sweet, naïve little human. And, apparently, Lucian saw her like that too, which stung more than it should've. Besides, who was _he_ to talk? He couldn't be _that_ much older than her. He was _maybe_ thirty, but certainly not older than-

"I'm sorry," he suddenly rumbled, drawing her gaze away from her feet and back to him. She wanted to glare at him, look stern, but that damned silver light coming in through the window made him look so beautiful and sweet.

"I didn't mean to be so harsh," he said, his fingers tightening on the crystal glass. "I just... It's not good to dream."

She let out a deep sigh for him, her eyes melting on his. "Who put _that_ in your head? You should _always_ dream, Lucian."

"Why?" he gnarled. "What does dreaming get you except heartbreak and disappointment?"

"Happiness," she whispered, taking a step closer to him. "Something to live for. I mean, what do you want? More than anything?"

She watched his jaw set, his eyes darkening on hers.

"Come on, everyone wants something."

"It doesn't matter. I can never have it."

She frowned, casting him a little teasing smile when she sang, "You're Lucian Nox. I was under the impression you could have anything."

She saw his Adam's apple bounce…and then, his eyes dropped to her curling lips. One look and she could feel her mouth go dry as other parts of her grew wet, her mind trying to cope with what was happening...but instead just going blank. Without looking away from her lips, he took a step closer to her, making her entire body vibrate. The air between them grew even thicker, electricity crackling through the air as her mind flooding with memories of that dream, memories of his hands on her skin, his lips on her neck, that stubble on his jaw scraping against her belly and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel all of that again, right there, in that room. She wanted to rub her thighs together so badly, put out the fire that was raging there, but she couldn't move. He'd never been this close to her, close enough to see that glint in his eyes, to feel his breath on her face. His jaw was locked, his broad chest pushing against the white dress shirt he wore, his charcoal eyes blazing. He looked angry, furious even; his body taunt, as if he was preparing to run... But God, she prayed he wouldn't. She was entranced by him; by everything about him. His scent, his beauty. She could feel herself drowning, falling into something greater than herself. Hearing her breathing turn into pants, she pulled her lip into her mouth-

And then, he was on the other side of the room. She'd never seen any man move that fast and that was coming from a woman who'd grown up in a house filled with vampires.

He stood with his back turned to her, his body tenser than she'd ever seen it, those big hands balled into fists again.

She got the message. Share-time was over. It had taken him longer than she'd expected, but she'd known from the start that he would have enough eventually. She practically throwing herself at him had probably been the last straw. Why had she done that? Why had she embarrassed herself like that?

 _He made the first move,_ a little hopeful voice whispered in her head.

She ignored it, emptying her scotch and putting the empty glass down on the fireplace mantel.

 _Should I apologize?_

She decided against it and instead headed for the door, praying the generous serving of scotch she'd just downed would help her body relax…although she doubted it.

Her feet slowed down the closer she got to the door and then, before she could stop herself, she heard herself say, "I don't think we should work together anymore."

* * *

Hades listened as she moved behind him, his body still trying to come down from its Adrianna-induced high. She'd been so close, too close and she was so damned sweet. Never had anyone told him he deserved better than the hand he'd been dealt. Never had anyone tried to help him find a way out of his misery. Never had anyone thought it mattered what _he_ wanted. Not until _her_. And as if that wasn't fucking irresistible enough, she had to look the way she did. Who looked that gorgeous just waking up? The second he'd seen her in that robe, he'd wanted to take her, right there; on the fucking floor, against the wall, anywhere he could have her… He had no idea where he'd gotten the strength to walk away just now, but if she didn't leave the room soon, he wasn't sure he would _ever_ let her leave.

"I don't think we should work together anymore."

His body tensed even more as he pressed his eyes shut at her words. He'd finally done it. He'd scared her. He'd always known it was only a matter of time before she would come to her senses and realize she was better off staying far away from him. Him almost ravaging her right now must've been the last straw. He had no idea what he'd looked like, but if he'd looked anything like he'd felt, it was no wonder she wanted to run for the hills.

"Agreed," he said, his voice barely recognizable. He could practically _hear_ the monster in his words. "You're still staying here, though." _Where it's safe._ "But I'll work on Rodchenko alone just like I wanted to do from the get-go and sleep at-"

"No."

He mentally cursed at the heavens. Nothing ever came easy with her… Taking in a deep breath, he went against his better judgement and turned to face her again.

 _Fuck._

Now, Hades had spent his entire existence around goddesses- _literally_ goddesses- but their beauty didn't even come close to the way Adrianna looked that night, standing in the middle of his library, with moonlight wrapped around her body.

Trying to calm his raging lust, he gnarled, "No? You just said yourself-"

"-that we shouldn't work together anymore, yes. As in, _you_ shouldn't work on the Rodchenko-case anymore."

He sniffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You and I both know you have a better chance at catching this guy _with_ me than you do _without_ me."

She sighed and for the second time that night, he noticed a hint of fear in her eyes. He'd seen it when he'd asked her about the nightmare before and there it was again, clear as day.

 _So, the nightmare was about Rodchenko._

"I don't get it," he growled.

"Don't get what?"

"Why you're so afraid of Rodchenko. I know he's a monster, but I've seen the other cases you've worked on and you've dealt with your share of monsters before. What is it about _him_ that scares you so much?"

"It's not that I'm scared of him. It's that I-" she trailed off, shaking her head. "If Rodchenko finds out I'm still on this case and that you're helping me, he'll come after you. You know that, right?"

"Wait," he gnarled, afraid to believe he'd understood her correctly. "You're worried about _me_?"

 _No, that couldn't be the case, right? No one had ever worried about him. Surely, she'd meant it as some sort of-_

"Off course I'm worried," she whispered, making his heart ache for her even more. "Rodchenko isn't someone to be trifled with."

He smiled at that. True, he was mortal now, but that murdering idiot would never get the better of him, human or not. He was fucking Hades. "I can handle him."

"You say that now, but you have no idea-"

"I've read the files, remember."

"And you think that gives you an insight into his sick mind? You have no clue, Lucian," she said, her cheeks flushing with anger. "I've stood over the bodies of the women he butchered, of the witnesses he slaughtered...and I won't stand over yours. I can't."

 _You should leave,_ his common sense urged. _This is getting dangerous._

 _No,_ the demon disagreed. _Stay. You want to stay. You want_ her _. Besides, she said so herself; You're Lucian Nox. You can have anything. So...have her._

"Salvatore," he gnarled. "Whatever you dreamt, it was just a dream."

"It was an example of what can happen if you stay near me, _that's_ what it was."

" _Please_ , stop worrying about me." _Before I lose it._

Suddenly, she started walking towards him again, closing the distance he so needed. He wanted to move away, but his feet wouldn't obey his orders, so he just stood there, watching the love of his immortal life come closer and closer.

When she finally stopped within arm's length of him, the warmth and sweetness in her beautiful blue eyes almost brought him to his fucking knees.

"Please, Lucian," she whispered. "Don't make the mistake of underestimating Rodchenko. I made that mistake once and three girls are dead because of it."

"That wasn't your fault," he snarled, cursing at the guilt that had overtaken her beautiful blue eyes. "Rodchenko killed those girl. Not you."

"It was my job to stop him after he'd killed the first girl. I failed."

"You _will_ get him."

"But at what cost?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

She sighed, swallowing hard. "You asked me before _why_ I'm so afraid of him. The truth is, I'm afraid because I think the only way to stop him is by doing the _one_ thing I swore I'd _never_ do."

"Kill him," Hades growled, seeing that dark truth in her eyes. He could see how much she hated even considering that path...but she _was_ considering it.

"Since I became a cop, I've gotten my man every single time," she said. "Tracked them, booked them, got them convicted. But with Rodchenko...I have nothing. Only this gut feeling that it's him. That won't hold up in court. I've been working tirelessly on this case, spend hours going over every detail, worked with both you and Gabriel on it and so far I got nothing. All the girls went to his club days-or even hours-before they died, but next to your club, _his_ club is the most popular place in town. A judge will dismiss that as evidence before it even hits his desk and while _I'm_ trying to find a legal way to stop him, _he's_ out there, free to kill another girl," she paused, her eyes softening again as she whispered, "Free to kill _you_."

He heard that demon inside beg again as he drowned in those blue depths. "You're not a killer, detective."

"Everyone's a killer if the right buttons are pushed."

"Not you," he growled. "And you really _don't_ have to worry about me. Like I said, I _can_ handle him."

"But you shouldn't _have to_ ," she said. "I got you involved in this and I couldn't stand it if-"

She trailed off, shaking her head.

"If what?"

She sighed, flushing. "Nothing. Never mind."

"No," he rumbled, recklessly taking another step closer. "Finish your sentence. _You couldn't stand it if_...?"

She stayed silent for a long moment before whispering the words that would mean his downfall.

"I couldn't stand it if I lost you."

And then, Hades just stood there. How was he supposed to deal with _that_? How could he walk away, leave her, when she looked up at him with those big, blue eyes and whispered those words to him?

He couldn't.

Feeling his muscles tremble, he took another step closer to her, closing the last slither of air between them. And then, for the first time, he spoke the name that had been engraved in his heart for millennia.

"Adrianna."

* * *

Adrianna inhaled a sharp breath.

He'd said her name.

Not _detective_ or _Salvatore_.

Her _actual_ name...and never had it been spoken so raw and tender; desperate and angry. And his eyes... Those dark abysses made her drown into something she couldn't see or touch, but feel all the more. When he looked at her like he was looking at her now, she felt like the world around her disappeared until all that was left was her and him. Never had a man looked at her the way _he_ was looking at her. She wasn't sure what that glint in his eyes was, couldn't name it. The word that came closest to describing it was _hunger_. Having someone look at her like that-having _him_ look at her like that-was the strangest, most exhilarating sensation she'd ever felt in her life. Her _entire being_ tingled. She'd never felt this out of control, this helpless...and yet, completely safe.

Suddenly feeling overdressed, she waited for him to speak again, but it remained silent, as if he'd simply said her name to hear it slip from his lips. She could see his chest rise and fall in time with hers and before she could stop herself, she reached out for him. She knew she shouldn't, but the pull towards him was just too much. She couldn't resist him…

When her fingertips brushed over his shirt, she noticed his muscles flexing even more; as if she was causing him physical pain by touching him…but she still couldn't stop herself. She wanted more. She needed more.

Swallowing hard, she pressed her palms against his chest, feeling his growl ripple underneath her hands before it slipped from his lips. Her hands lingered there for a long moment, feeling his heart thump, unsure of what would happen next. The way his eyes had darkened on hers, she was sure he would shrug off her touch at any moment.

But he didn't.

He stayed right where he was.

Knowing she was playing with fire, but unable to stop herself anyway, she slowly slid her hands up, brushing them over his broad shoulders, his thick neck, feeling every muscle she touched tense underneath her fingertips…But it still wasn't enough. She wanted _his_ hands on _her_ , _his_ fingers on _her_ skin. She wanted him, she needed him more than she needed her next breath.

"Lucian?" she whispered, her voice sounding far away.

He didn't answer, his jaw locked tight, his hands flexing beside his hips. Everything about him was screaming danger, was warning her to turn and run... but she couldn't. Whether he wanted to kill her or kiss her, she was a willing victim.

"Touch me." She had no idea where this surge of courage came from, but suddenly, there was no more filter between her heart and her mouth. Some new female part of her had taken the wheel and she could do nothing but let go and enjoy the ride.

"Please," she breathed when his expression grew even more tormented on hers. " _Please_."

An unmatched rage seeped into his eyes as she begged…and then, she felt his arm sneak around her waist. The second he touched the small of her back, slowly pushing her against him, she melted, holding back a moan. She could feel every hard plain of him now, every rough edge, every rise and fall off his chest. Her curves clicked into his hard edges, as if they were made for each other.

Bombarded with sensations, she drowned in his scent, his touch, the growls that slipped from his lips. Her toes curled as she slid her hands up until her fingers were embedded in his thick, raven hair. It was a soft as she'd imagined, making her body scream out for even more contact, more exposure, more… Just _more_. And somehow, he knew. His eyebrows pulled together tightly, he grazed his fingertips over her jaw, her cheek, tracing the curve of her ear. His angry eyes followed his exploring fingers, watching them as if he wanted to chop those bastards off for what they were doing...but he didn't stop.

"Adrianna," he groaned, his hooded gaze dropping to her lips.

 _He's going to kiss me._

Two voices went to war inside her mind. The prim and proper girl that warned her not to get involved with this enigma of a man and the inner primeval woman that urged her to dive into the unknown and give into him.

"God," he gnarled, his thumb skimming over her bottom lip and pulling it from between her teeth. "I should go."

"Don't," she breathed, curling closer against him, her fingers tightening on his hair. "Stay."

His eyes flared...and then, his hand cupped her cheek and he leaned forward, slowly. It was terrifying, exciting, all her senses centering on him. Her rapid heartbeat echoed in her ears, her knees trembled. For a moment, she was sure she was going to pass out, feeling lightheaded...but then, he pressed her hips closer against him, making it so she could _feel_ the way she was affecting him and with that discovery came a strange rush of confidence. It was a new experience for her to feel _pride_ about giving a man a hard-on, but that's exactly what she felt. Pride. Here was a handsome, smart man...and he wanted her. _A lot,_ apparently. A hint of fear crept through the haze of lust when she realized that this kiss could lead to so much more, to things she'd never done before...She softly prayed her lustful mind was exagerating the size of what she felt pushing against her, because if it wasn't, she was in for a world of pain.

Just when she felt herself starting to panic, his nose brushed over hers, making her fears vanish. His lips were so close, close enough to feel the heat coming off them. She knew that if she leaned in just a little, she would finally taste him...but she didn't dare move. This was all new to her. She'd never wanted a man like she wanted him and she was afraid that if she moved even the tinniest bit, she would somehow break the spell they were under and screw it all up.

"Adrianna," he whispered again, his warm breath feathering her lips. "You should stop me. Please, you should-"

The sound of something shattering to pieces in the hallway broke the spell and then, it all happened so fast she didn't even realize it had all gone to hell until Lucian was storming out of the room, snarling, "Stay here" and she suddenly found herself alone...and frustrated.

* * *

Hades walked away from her, feeling his body beg to turn back around and finish what he'd started. What _she'd_ started.

 _Touch me. Please._

He rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of that soft voice, begging.

 _What the hell are you doing, idiot?_ he scolded himself. _You almost kissed her! And you wouldn't have stopped there! This isn't the plan! Stick to the fucking plan!_

Hades shook his head, jerking the door to the hallway open...and when he saw where the noise that had cockblocked him had come from, his demon took over.

The front door was destroyed, its wood scattered all over the floor. One of his guards was lying motionless on the front steps; another one halfway down his hall. He wasn't sure if they were dead or unconscious, but quite frankly, it didn't matter either. The only thing of importance was the woman in the room behind him. Whoever had burst into his house was clearly too strong strong to be human, so they were either there for him...or for her.

"Lock up behind me," he snarled over his shoulder, making sure not to look at her when he closed the door. He knew she would look flushed and sweet...and his heart couldn't take that right now.

 _Okay,_ he thought, forcing himself to redirect his focus from Adrianna to the situation at hand. _Where are you, you fuck?_

Slowly, he moved forward, listening for any sign of an intruder...and he didn't have to listen long.

"Where is she?"

Hades turned, glaring. The fact that he hadn't heard the two men sneak up on him proved they weren't _men_ at all. No human could've taken him by surprise like that. And they didn't _look_ very human for that matter, either. Not that they had horns or fangs, but as a god, Hades could sense power...and these two things were _made_ of power. They were about the same height, same built, same piercing glare...but while one was dressed in a suit and clean shaved, the other wore jeans and a simple shirt, his jaw covered in a nine o'clock shadow.

"Where is _who_?" he snarled, acting dumb.

The two raven haired creatures widened their stance, something dangerous simmering in their brown eyes... Their _familiar_ brown eyes. Had he met these things before? Were this two of _his_ demons? Had Zeus gone back on their deal and send them to kill Adrianna?

"We know you're keeping her here," the one wearing jeans hissed. "We can smell her."

 _Definitely demons_.

"Last chance," the other one gnarled.

"I will tell you this one more time. I have no idea what you're talking about." He took a step closer to them, matching their glare. "And even if I _did_ know, there's no fucking way I would let you anywhere near her."

"You're outnumber and outmatched," suit-vamp pointed out.

"Outnumbered, yes. Outmatched... I wouldn't be so sure."

"You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"Neither do you."

"Just give her to us."

"That's never going to happen."

"We _will_ find her. Work with us and _you_ will not be harmed."

"Leave now and _you_ will not be harmed.

The demons exchanged an amused, shocked look. He knew why he amused them so much, off course. They though he was just a simple human, unaware of what was really going on.

"Fine," the unshaved one hissed, taking a threatening step forward. "Be an idiot. But don't say we didn't give you a way out, you stupid -"

A soft click behind him made the demon trail off…and Hades knew exactly what they were staring at.

 _What use do I have of soundproof rooms if she's just going to ignore my instructions and walk straight into fucking danger?!_

The second the first demon moved forward, towards her, Hades growled and then slammed into the monster...quickly regretting it. Hitting that demon's chest was like hitting a ton of cement. He could feel his bones shift, screaming out, but he refused to back down. This wasn't about winning anymore, this was about distracting. If they focused on him, Adrianna had a chance to get away, to put some distance between her and those animals.

As he'd expected, the second demon came to his partner's aid, grabbing Hades' jacket and the next thing he knew, he was being propelled through the room, only stopping when his body hit an unmovable object in the form of a solid, brick wall.

 _So this is what pain feels like,_ he thought as he tried to scrambled up from the floor. As a god, he'd never experienced mortal pain…and he had to say, he didn't care for it very much. His ears were ringing, his body was screaming out and for some reason, the room was actually spinning.

But then he saw her.

Being dragged away by one of those fuckers.

And just like that, there was no more pain.

Only rage.

Fuming, Hades jumped up, running towards her, watching her eyes widen on his…but rage was a tricky emotion. While it was true that it made pain vanish, it also made common sense do the same thing. See, in the back of his mind, he remembered that the guy dragging her away wasn't alone; that there was a second guy, but he hadn't taken that into consideration before moving towards her. He was so driven by rage; so focused solely on getting that fucker's hand of her arm, that he'd forgotten all about monster number two…until he doomed up in front of him and landed a well-aimed punch to his kidneys.

Doubling over, Hades tried to catch his breath, tried to draw oxygen back into his lunges...which was made even harder by Adrianna who suddenly fell to her knees in front of him, her hands cupping his face.

 _What is this crazy woman doing?_ _Why can't she just run for the fucking hills?_

He wanted to tell her she should go, but before he could say anything, she looked over her shoulder at the two demons, hissing, "Are you two out of you goddamned minds? You could've killed him!"

The demons just stood there, a strange look on their faces. Why were they looking so guilty all of a sudden? And why wasn't Adrianna scared? In fact, why was Adrianna still there? If they'd wanted to take her, they'd had every opportunity to do so by now.

"We're sorry," the one in jeans said, a confusing softness to his voice. "You have to understand, when we called you on your cell, you didn't pick up-"

"It's five in the morning!"

"You _always_ pick up, no matter the time," the other one jumped in, his voice as warm as the other one's.

"I was busy!"

"Obviously."

Hades noticed her tense for a moment as the men's eyes ran over her, making her blush. Swallowing hard, she dropped her hands from his cheeks and got up, running her palms over the short robe as she snarled, "You two come in here, behaving like bulls in a china shop, hurting the man who's been helping me and now you stand there, insinuating things you have no idea about?! Screw you, Killian! And screw you twice for letting him drag you into this, Asher!"

 _Killian?! Asher?!_ he thought, getting up from the floor, too. _Oh fuck, please let that be a coincidence and don't tell me they're-_

"My brothers," Adrianna confirmed his fear in a soft voice before addressing her siblings again, cursing in Italian. Now, generally everything sounds more beautiful in Italian, but Hades understood every word she was saying and there was nothing even remotely beautiful about the cusses that slipped from her lips.

T _hat's why their eyes looked so damned familiar. They're the spitting image of Elena's._

"We thought you were in trouble," the one in jeans cut off her insults, casting her a guilty look. "We thought he was holding you here against your will-"

"And did you think to run that theory by anyone, for example Maggie, Asher? Maybe before you came storming in here like a GI-Joe on steroids?!"

"Okay, we get it," Killian said, raising his palms in a surrendering gesture. "Sorry."

"It's not _me_ you have to apologize to!" she hissed.

"We made a mistake, man," Asher mumbled, his eyes still suspicious on Hades'.

"A mistake _anyone_ would've made," Killian added, fixing his cufflinks. "Why didn't you just say-"

"That's _not_ an apology!" Adrianna fumed. "I swear, you two-"

"They don't have to apologize," Hades cut her off, making her glance over her shoulder at him again.

"Like hell they don't!"

"I'm fine," he rumbled. "And I get it. They thought their sister was in danger and they acted-"

"-like idiots?" she fumed.

"-on instinct," he corrected, giving her brothers a tight nod. "We're good."

Adrianna huffed, softly mumbling _men_ under her breath before she focused back on her siblings, asking, "What are you two doing in town, anyway?"

"It's Maggie's birthday in a few days and she invited us to her party," Asher explained. "We decided to come a little early and see what our baby sister is up, too. Apparently, she's up to a lot."

Adrianna rolled her eyes, sighing. "Okay, you know what, I can't deal with this right now. Tell me about it in the morning."

"It _is_ morning," Killian pointed out.

"You know what I mean. I'm exhausted. Text me where you're staying and I'll stop by tomorrow-"

"We're not leaving you here," Killian cut her off, making her body tense again. "You're coming with us."

"Brother," she gnarled. "I love you, but you don't get to tell me what to do anymore. I'm a big girl."

"And I understand that," Killian said, his eyes sliding back to Hades. "But we don't know him and I'm not about to leave my baby sister, alone-"

"Hey," she cut him off, glaring. "I've been getting by just fine without you two watching my back. Now, I appreciate the concern, but I am very capable of making my own decisions and I want to stay with Luc-"

"You should go with them."

Hades hated the words that had come out of his mouth...but he wasn't going to take them back. He wanted to, he really did. He _wanted_ her to stay...and that right there was the problem. If her brothers left and she stayed, he was sure he would pick up where he'd left off in his library. He could already feel his hands itch to touch her again, his body urging him to get rid of her brothers right now. It was the adrenaline. Seeing her being dragged away from him earlier had awoken some primal instinct in him and right now, all he wanted to do was feel her against him and know she was safe, bury himself deep inside of her... And he couldn't do that. Ever. So, instead of telling her brothers to shove off and claiming her, he said again, "Go with them."

His heart broke at the look she threw his way. Those beautiful blue eyes were so filled with confusion and, God help him, _pain_. She thought he was rejecting her by choice, that he didn't want her. She had no idea...

"You _want_ me to go?" she asked, her voice confused and hurt.

 _No. I want to throw you over my shoulder, cary you upstairs and make love to you until our bodies can't take it anymore._

"Yes."

"There," Killian said. "Problem solved. Now can we-"

" _Yes_?" she whispered, ignoring her brother.

"Okay," Asher jumped in when a long, tense pause fell. "Killian and I are going to wait outside. Let us know what you decide."

"What?" Killian snarled. "No, I'm not-"

"Shut up, mister Tact," Asher mumbled as he shoved Killian to the-destroyed-door. "Just go."

Adrianna's eyes hadn't left Hades' once, but she still somehow sensed when her brothers had left, because the second they were out of sight, she said, "I don't understand."

"What is it you don't understand?" Hades snapped, hating the way her voice trembled. "Wasn't it _you_ who was suggesting just a minute ago that we shouldn't work together anymore?"

"That's not the only thing that happened a minute ago," she whispered, taking a step closer to him.

He took a step back, making her eyes grow even more sad. "Yes, it is."

"That's not the only thing that _almost_ happened a minute ago," she tried again.

He sniffed, pulling up his nose in a disgusted gesture. "Let's just forget about what happened tonight. Or _almost_ happened."

"Why?"

He sighed as if she bored him, barking, "Look, you were right, okay. We shouldn't work together and it's probably best if you leave, too."

"Really? 'Cause earlier you were saying that even if we didn't work together, I should still stay-"

"But now your brothers are here and _they_ can look after you."

"I don't _need_ anyone to look after me," she said, stubbornly. "That's not why I was even here in the first place. I came here because you threatened to tell my sergeant that I'm still working on Rodchenko and _you_ didn't take me in to protect me, but because you knew that if Rodchenko came for me, you could catch him. I'm bait, remember. You said so yourself."

"Yes, well, Rodchenko clearly isn't _taking_ the bait, so I really have no use for you."

She flinched as if he'd slapped her in the face and yet, he didn't apologize. He couldn't. She _had_ to leave. He could already feel his demon scratching at the surface, crawling through his blood, trying to make him forget about this cruel plan to push her away and instead keeping her with him. Forever. He didn't know how much longer he could keep fighting that demon...or himself.

"So, that's it?" she asked, frowning."We just...go our separate ways?"

"Yes," he growled, his heart aching. "Your brothers are waiting, _detective_."

It was at the ' _detective_ ' that he saw the pain in her eyes morph into anger. He watched as she shook her head, those raven curls brushing her shoulders, trying his best not to remember what those black tendrils had felt like earlier, pouring through his fingers...but failing. He should've walked away the second she'd come into that library, in that robe, her rich scent overtaking his senses, her fingers brushing his chest, touching his neck...

"Yeah," she suddenly hissed, bringing him back to the harsh reality. "You're right. I should go with my brothers. Bye, _Nox_."

She walked away from him without another word and Hades just stood there, in the middle of his destroyed hallway, his insides twisting as he heard an engine fire up outside and then tires squeaking...

Tires that took her away from him.

Forever.

* * *

"So, you're really not speaking to us?"

Adrianna sat in the back seat of Killian's Aston Martin, staring out the window, watching the sun come up as her blood boiled. An hour ago, she'd been in heaven, holding Lucian, feeling his heart beat against hers and now, she felt like ripping that cold heart right out of his chest. How could he have gone from almost _kissing_ her to calling her ' _no use_ ' in the space of ten minutes? It couldn't have had to do with her brothers, right? Sure, they'd behave like idiots, but that was no reason to hurt _her_. And that's exactly what he'd done. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but he'd actually _hurt_ her.

"Addy-"

" _Don't_ call me Addy, Killian," she snapped, casting her eldest brother a glare. "You know I hate that."

"Do you hate _us_?"

Adrianna sighed, cocking an eyebrow at Asher. "No. How could I possibly ever hate you? Either of you? I just wish you two would stop thinking of me as your fragile, little sister and _trust_ me every once in a while."

"We do trust you, sis," he said, turning in his seat to cast her one of those warm Asher-smiles. "But we'll never stop seeing you as our fragile little sister. At least not until you're a vampire, like us. Until then, you're a human in a _world_ of vampires and you don't seem to understand that-"

"I understand it, Asher!" she snapped.

"Good," Killian jumped in. "So, you understand that the closer you get to your twenty-fifth birthday, the more you'll attract supernaturals off all kinds, right?"

"Right," she said, frowning. "But let's say I didn't-"

"You smell, sis," Asher explained, wrinkling his nose.

"I _smell_?" _Oh, God. Please don't tell me I stink. No wonder Lucian-_

"Not to humans," Killian clarified to her relief. "But supernaturals can smell you an hour away. And you smell _good_."

"Okay, creepy much?" she snarled, cocking an eyebrow. "You're my brother."

"I didn't mean it like that," Killian growled. "You just smell like sunshine and warm blood, which means every vampire will be drawn to you. Other supernaturals probably smell it too, although to them, you'll smell like something appealing to their own kind. It's a Crescător-thing apparently. It will vanish once you become a vampire or once you've done the Crescător-ritual with someone, but in the meantime, supernaturals will be drawn to you and even though they might not realize you're The Crescător right away, they'll sure as hell take you somewhere to _figure out_ what it is that makes you special and once they do-"

"How do you know all of this?" she asked, really not in the mood to hear the end of that sentence.

"We did some research," Asher answered, shooting her an apologetic look. "We're only looking out for you."

"Okay," she snapped, not really appreciating the invasion of her privacy. She suddenly felt strangely exposed. "So I smell good. So what? I haven't run into trouble yet, so the effect can't be that strong."

"Or you haven't run into supernaturals yet."

Switching her gaze back and forth between Killian's eyes staring at her in the review mirror and Asher's, she snapped, "Do mom and dad know this?"

"Do you think you'd still be here if they did?" Killian asked in that strict Killian-tone of his. "Dad would've dragged your ass back to Italy already."

"And mom would've helped," Asher said, shooting her a wink.

Her lips twitched as she shook her head. Her brothers were alike in many ways. They were both enforcers of good, tracking and hunting rogue vampires; they both had raven hair and soft brown eyes and they both valued family over anything else. But that's where their similarities ended. Whereas Asher was the casual one, the playful one, the one bringing home girl after girl; Killian was always serious, to the point, focused. In fact, she'd never _once_ seen Killian with a woman. He was always working, always on some mission. Asher gave him a hard time about that, but Adrianna understood. She was a lot like Killian. She'd always had a one-track mind, too. She focused on work, on getting the bad guy and nothing else...until Lucian.

"So, when you said you came here a few days before Maggie's birthday just to see me, you meant-"

"-we came here to warn you, yes," Asher said. "We _really_ want you to have your own life Adrianna, but it's only a few months until your birthday. Why can't you just come home now and be safe? Why take the risk?"

 _Because of Lucian._

She shook that thought away, instead saying, "I have one more case to finish here and once I do, I'm on the first plane out. I promise."

"Can we help with this case?" Killian asked.

She shook her head. "No, this is something I have to do on my own. If we use any short-cuts, a court of law won't convict him and believe me, this is one guy who needs to be put away for good."

"Well, if you decide you _do_ need help-"

"-you two are the first people I'll call," she said, smiling...until the car stopped and she saw where they'd taken her.

To her apartment.

Her _shot up_ apartment.

If her brothers saw the mess in there, if they knew she'd almost died, her _parents_ wouldn't be the ones dragging her back to Italy.

"Wy don't we go to Maggie's?" she tried when Killian turned off the engine. "I'm sure she'd dying to see you guys."

"At six in the morning?" Asher pointed out. "If I remember correctly, she's not exactly a morning person."

 _Right. They know her._

"Okay, well, how about we go have some breakfast, then? There's this great diner a few minutes from here-"

"Great idea, sis," Asher said, opening his door. "But you should probably get dressed first."

She glanced down at the black robe she was still wearing, mumbling, "Right." And when she looked up again, her brothers were both out of the car already and inside her apartment building.

"Crap, crap, crap," she hissed, following them inside. "Hey, listen, we could go to-"

"Did you get a new door?"

Adrianna looked up from her feet, almost tripping on the last step when she glanced at the spot where her wooden door used to be. Another door had replaced the wood, an envelope sticking to it.

"Uhm, yes," she lied, confused.

"Good call," Killian said, handing her the envelope. "That piece of crap was barely a door. This thing is much safer." He knocked on the material, saying in an approving voice. "Stainless steel. Nice."

Frowning, she tore the white paper open, dropping the contents of it in the palm of her hand. A pair of strange looking keys and a business card fell out, making her confusion grow even more.

"Okay, enough standing around," Asher asked, grabbing one of the keys from her hand. "I don't feel comfortable standing here like this, out in the open."

Before Adrianna could protest, Asher had opened her door and both he and Killian had gone into her apartment. She stayed in the hallway for a moment longer, waiting for hell to break lose inside, trying to come up with some ulterior explanation for why her apartment was shot to hell... but when no reaction whatsoever came, she followed them inside to see what was going on...and then froze the second she entered.

"Still no tv, huh?" Asher said, sitting on her couch.

Her _clean_ , _fixed_ couch.

Nothing in her apartment gave away that it had been a crime scene only a few weeks ago. There was no blood, no glass, no damage on the floor from where the couch had scraped over it. The lights she'd shot to pieces to make it harder for the sniper to see his targets, were now lid, bathing the room in a soft light. And her windows, which had been shattered all over her floor, were now perfect. Her heart racing, she all but ran to her bedroom and found her bed back where it used to be instead of propped up against the window. There were no bloody bandages on the floor either, left over from cleaning the wound in Lucian's side. Everything was exactly the way it had been before that sniper.

For a moment, she wondered if the police had fixed it for her, but she'd dismissed that idea pretty quickly. They wouldn't go to such lengths for her...and the city didn't have nearly enough wiggle room in the budget to get this done.

Shell-shocked, she walked back into the living room to find Killian inspecting her windows.

"I see you finally took some of my advice," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"About the previously nonexistent security in this place. You've made some great improvements. The steel door, the alarm system-" she followed his eyes to the alarm that now hung beside the door. "-the windows-"

"What about the windows?" she cut Killian off, her heart doing a double take again.

"Well, they're bulletproof," he said, running his finger over the window frame. "And good quality, too. This must've cost you quite a penny. I'm impressed."

"But still," Asher said, pointing at the empty space above the fireplace. "You know what would look good up there? A plasma tv. Just saying."

Killian reacted to that, saying something about tv being a waste of time, but Adrianna had stopped paying attention, her mind racing. Who had done this? Who had the resources to make it look like her apartment hadn't been a crime scene? To get her that new door? A state of the art alarm system? Bulletproof windows? And all without asking her for a dime? It couldn't have been her parents. If they'd known what had happened here, she would've never heard the end of it. So, who?

Her eyes fell back to the business card that had been in the envelope, taking a closer look. She'd never heard of the security company before, so that wasn't a big help, but when she turned the card over and read what was written there, she got all the answers she'd been looking for;

 _Sir,_

 _I hope everything is up to your specifications._

 _If not, please, let us know._

 _I hope we can work together again in the future, mister Nox._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Argent Inc._

 _Lucian did this?_ she thought, her confusion reaching epic proportions. _Why would he do this? I was only bait, right? So what's with the door, the windows, the alarm?_

 _He's trying to keep you safe,_ that little hopeful voice whispered in her ear again. _Maybe that's why he really wanted you to stay at his place, with his guards._

 _But he just kicked me out._

 _After saying that 'now your brothers can look after you'. Doesn't that imply that_ he _was looking after you_ before _?_

"Earth to Adrianna!"

Jumping, Adrianna looked up from the card, focusing back on the two men who were now staring at her with worried eyes.

"Are you okay there?" Killian asked.

 _I'm not sure._

"Uhm, yeah," she whispered, making a decision. "But I'm actually going to have to skip breakfast. I totally forgot I have an early briefing back at the station, so I should really get dressed and go."

"Fine by me," Asher said, jumping to his feet. "This is my first mini-vacation in years, so I'm going back to the hotel, watch some tv, maybe spend some time with that blond receptionist who checked us in."

"TMI, brother," Adrianna said, waving her hands to shut him up. "Do whatever you want, just _never_ tell me about it."

Asher laughed while Killian's lips only twitched. In Killian's case, that was the closest thing to a laugh, though. He wasn't the LOL-type of guy.

"Dinner later?" Killian asked, heading for the door with Asher.

"I don't know, yet," Adrianna said, not sure where this day was going to take her. "I might have a late shift. But I can definitely do breakfast. Is that okay?"

"Sure," Asher answered, winking. "We don't sleep, remember. Breakfast, dinner, lunch, it's all the same to us."

"Good," she said, heading for her bedroom. "Oh, and guys?"

They both looked at her, already halfway out of the door.

"I'm really happy to see you both. Despite your Alpha male entrances, I still love you idiots."

"We love you too, Addy," they smiled, leaving the room before she could snap not to call her Addy.

And she didn't have time to go after them.

She had a plan.

A plan that involved a bikini, a convertible and a whole lot of nerve.

* * *

 **Hey guys! I'm so sorry that it took me this long to update! If you follow me on Twitter ( LustAndLoveFF) you know I didn't forget! I just didn't have time to write this month, but I'll update quicker from now on! Promise!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was a damned b*tch to write, I'll tell you that :-D! The emotional/hot stuff is the hardest. Please, drop a review and let me know what you think. It's what motivates me to keep the story going!**

 **X LustAndLove**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"You did _what_?!"

Hades sighed, already regretting telling Aphrodite about what had happened that night. He didn't feel like getting another speech about following his heart or being happy for as long as he could or any of that bullshit. He already felt like fucking crap.

"So, let me get this straight," the goddess snarled. "You almost kissed her and then _kicked her out_?!"

"I didn't _kick her out_!"

"You told her to leave, Hades! That's the _definition_ of _kicking someone out_!"

"Her brothers wanted her to go with them-"

"-and _she_ wanted to stay!" she shrieked. "She _wanted_ to stay, you idiot!"

Hades rose from his chair, glaring. " _Don't_ forget who you're speaking to, Aphrodite!"

The goddess flinched a little, but then crossed her arms over her chest again, glaring right back. "She _chose_ to stay with you over going with her brothers. That should tell you something, Hades."

"It does! It tells me I already let things get too far."

"Too far? You haven't even done anything!"

"But I _wanted_ to, Aphrodite! I wanted it more than I've ever wanted anything and that want, that _need,_ blinded me; made me almost lose control, made me _almost_ forget! And she almost _let me_."

"Off course she did! I told you, she might not remember the years she spend with you in those dreams, but she _loves_ you!"

"Exactly! That wasn't-"

"If you say _part of the plan_ , I swear to the gods, I'm ripping your balls off!"

Hades sniffed, sinking back down in his chair, his eyes stinging. He hadn't slept since she'd walked out of his house last night, his mind replaying what had happened in that library, what had happened with her brothers.

 _I really have no use for you._

He hated himself for that lie, for making her hurt...but it had been a necessary evil. She _had_ to leave...and never come back, never think of him again. He would be a footnote in her past, a sour memory of some bastard she'd once worked with. Nothing more. And that's the way it had to be. She would move on, meet some new man, build a life with _him_ , make love to _him_ , whisper she loved _him_ -

"Hades!"

Hades snapped out of his rage at the sound of Aphrodite's high-pitched voice, following her wide eyes to his fingers...that had torn straight through the leather arms of his chair.

He pulled his hands back, but the anger was still burning deep in his chest and he feared it would remain there, forever. It was a harsh reminder of what he would have to live without; of the woman he'd never see again.

 _Not ever._

"-can't just go in!"

Hades jumped up when the door flung open...and Adrianna entered, one of his guards storming in after her, looking frazzled and babbling something about being sorry, about not being able to stop her...but Hades didn't pay attention to him.

 _I truly am cursed,_ a voice inside snarled as he took in the sight before him.

Now, he'd seen Adrianna in dresses many times in his dreams, but the reality of it was even more beautiful. The red sundress she wore flowed over her curves, catching the slightest breeze, moving when she did. Her long, tanned legs were bare and beautiful; her delicate feet slipped into a pair of simple black flats. And that hair... It hung loose, cascading down her sweetheart neckline, brushing that soft skin between her breasts... But the most beautiful thing about her; the thing that really took his breath away...was the sweet smile her lips had curled into the second she'd spotted him. It was such a warm, sincere smile. No one had ever smiled like that when seeing him.

"What are you doing here, detective?" he asked, trying to sound harsh...even though he wanted nothing more than to go to her and finish what they'd started in his library the night before...

"I came to see you," she said, her voice _too_ chipper. Had she not been furious with him only hours ago? Had she not _stormed out_ of his house?

"Why?" he asked, confused.

She dug into the straw, yellow bag, pulling out something small and placing it in front of him on his desk.

Cursing inwardly, he recognized the logo of Argent Inc., the company he'd hired to fix-and upgrade-Adrianna's apartment. He'd known it was a stupid thing to do the second he'd thought of it, but he'd also known there would come a time when he wasn't going to be in her life anymore; and when that happened, he didn't want her living in an apartment that had zero security. He'd told himself he would come up with some explanation for his actions by the time she'd go back and see what he'd done, but with everything going on, it had slipped his mind.

And now, he was screwed.

 _How am I going to explain renovating her apartment without admitting I care about her?_

"Good question," Aphrodite sang.

 _Get out of my head!_ he mentally snarled back.

Hades wanted to glare at her, but since Adrianna couldn't see or hear the goddess, he decided against it. He didn't want her thinking he was a nutcase.

"She's really something, isn't she?" Aphrodite continued, walking a circle around Adrianna. "Beautiful. Smart. Fierce. I see why you love her. I mean-"

"Why did you do that?" Adrianna cut Aphrodite off, watching him closely.

"Do what?" he snapped.

She cocked an amused eyebrow. "Take your pick. The door, the alarm, the bulletproof windows, the new floor, the new couch, the new lighting. And I've probably missed a few things, too."

She had. Some first edition books of hers had been damaged by the glass and blood, so he'd replaced them.

He'd had her chimney cleaned which hadn't happened in way too long and had become a serious fire hazard.

And her floors now had in-floor heating, which really had nothing to do with her safety and everything with her comfort...but he wasn't going to tell her that. She already looked suspicious enough.

"Why would you do that, Lucian?" she asked again, her voice a soft song.

"She knows, Hades," Aphrodite sang, a knowing smile on her lips. "She knows you want to keep her safe. She knows you have a heart. Why not just admit that everything you've been doing has been to protect her and not just to trap Rodchenko?"

Hades ignored the annoying goddess, snarling, "I figured that, at some point, we would work from your apartment, so-"

"-you wanted to protect _yourself_?" Adrianna snickered. "Really? _That's_ what you're going with?"

"Lame excuse," Aphrodite voiced the expression on Adrianna's face.

"It's not what _I'm going with_ , it's the truth, detective. Besides, it's not like I fixed your place up with my own two hands. I just made a phone call."

"That's not the point."

"Then what _is_ the point?" he barked, feeling his fingers itch to reach out and brush away that curl that kept trickling down her neckline. He had to get her out of there, away from him. Now. "I have a pile of work that I've been neglecting while I was wasting my time helping you with Rodchenko, so if you wouldn't mind cutting to the chase- "

"Thank you."

Hades heart jumped, his fingers clutching the desk tighter.

 _So damned sweet._

"It was no big deal. Like I said, I just picked up the phone," he grumbled, sitting down and pretending to focus back on a few random papers on his desk. "Now, if you wouldn't mind leaving. I have-"

"-a pile of work, right? You said."

 _Why is she still smiling?_

"Look, detective-"

"Before you start doing that thing you do where you insult me and make me so angry I storm off, just hear me out."

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, making it clear that she had his attention.

"Okay-" she started, smoothing her hands over her dress. She was nervous... God, he loved her nervous; flustered. "-give me one day."

He frowned. "One day to do _what_?"

"To thank you."

"You've already thanked me."

"Just saying the words isn't enough here, Lucian. You saved my life. You fixed my apartment. I can't just say _thanks_ and then never look back. It wouldn't feel right."

"Detective-"

" _Adrianna_ ," she cut him off, sighing. "It's just _one_ day and then I'll be out of your life."

"Do it, Hades," Aphrodite sang, almost bursting with enthusiasms.

 _Shut up! I can't go with her! Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how hard it is for me even now; sitting her? If I spend any more time with her alone, I won't be able to keep myself in check._

"Exactly!" the goddess cheered.

"It's a nice offer, detective, but I can't. I have too much work."

"In the dark," she mumbled under her breath, glancing around the confined space. He noticed that trace of sadness in her eyes again, that _sympathy_ and before he could do anything about it, his mind flashed back to the night before, when she'd had that same warmth and compassion in her gaze...

"Anything else?" he snarled, feeling his body heat.

She softly shook her head, her eyes no longer sparkling. "No. I guess not. I would offer to pay for the repairs you had done in my apartment, but I'm sure that you would just-"

"-tell you that you're being insulting and that I would't have it?" he finished, cocking an eyebrow. "You'd be right."

She nodded, a sad smile curling her lips before she turned and headed for the door.

"Hades!" Aphrodite shouted so loud he flinched. "Go with her! She just wants one day with the man she loves! You can't give her that?! Just one day before you take something from her she doesn't even know she had?! Come on, you stupid-"

"You know," Adrianna whispered, turning back to face him. "I don't know why you think you have to pretend to be this tough, cold bastard, but just for future reference, you're not very good at it. You _are_ sometimes and when you _are_ , you're _so_ good at it I want to rip you head off. But then there are moments when you're just... _not_ very good at it. So, you might want to consider just dropping the act all together. If you did, I think you could be happy."

 _Happy..._

"Goodbye, mister Nox."

She moved closer to the door and just when she was about to reach it, Aphrodite snapped, "Go with her or I'm showing myself."

 _What?!_

"You heard me! If she walks out that door, I'm appearing right in front of her! Good luck explaining that!"

 _You wouldn't!_

"Five seconds, Hades!"

 _Aphrodite, please, just let her walk away! I've finally done it! She's going! I can continue to search for a way to hide her from my brothers without any distractions now! Killian and Asher are looking after her! They won't let Rodchenko anywhere near her! She's safe! Please, I-"_

"Two."

 _Be reasonable! You know I-_

"Time's up."

"Wait!"

Both Aphrodite and Adrianna froze; one with a victorious expression on her face, the other with a confused one.

"Yes?" Adrianna asked, frowning.

Hades balled his hands in fists by his side, rumbling, "Fine. One day."

That delicate face of hers lit up, that giddiness once again radiating off her in waves. "One day."

He gestured for her to lead the way, shot Aphrodite one more vicious glare and then followed Adrianna out his office, trying his best not to stare at her legs or her shaped behind as she glided down the stairs.

"I'm going," Hades snarled at his manager, Levi, who was looking into the books at the bar. "I'll be back tonight-"

"Tomorrow," Adrianna corrected, adding when she noticed his expression. "A day lasts twenty-four hours, Lucian. I have a lot of things planned."

Twenty-four hours... God, the things he could do to her in that dress in twenty-four hours...

 _This is such a fucking bad idea._

"Just call me if anything's wrong," Hades gnarled, pulling out his cell. "I have my phone with me-"

"Oh, you have the new Apple?" she sang. "I've heard a lot about it. Can I see?"

He handed her the device...only to watch her drop it into her bag, saying to Levi, "Mister Nox won't be available. If there's any trouble, I'm sure you're qualified enough to handle it. Right?"

The man nodded, his eyes switching back and forth between his boss and Adrianna, trying to figure out what exactly was happening. Hades couldn't help him there...

"Good," Adrianna sang, turning on her heels and leaving both men staring after her.

One of them staring a little too much.

Hades hadn't even realized he was growling at Levi until he shot him a startled look and then rushed back to the bar.

When Hades finally followed her outside, he found her leaning against a black convertible, that smile turning into a grin when he walked towards her.

"Okay," he rumbled. "So, where are we-"

She held up her hand, cutting him off before four fingers curled into a fist, leaving her index finger pointing at the sky as she sang, "Look up."

He did, staring at the blue sky, searching for anything out of the ordinary...but there was nothing.

"I don't see anything," he said, cocking an eyebrow. "Just the sun."

"Exactly," she sang, putting on the sunglasses that had been perched on top of her head. "You made it out of the darkness, mister Nox. Welcome to the light."

Frowning, Hades looked up again...marveling in the soothing warmth on his face.

 _Don't get used to it,_ a voice warned. _You'll be back where you belong soon. In the dark. Without her. Don't get used to the sun, the warmth, having her close. It will all vanish._

A engine firing drew his eyes back to Adrianna who was now sitting behind the wheel, flashing her brilliant white teeth at him.

"Get in," she sang, tying her long locks into a high ponytail.

Fully aware that he would regret it, he listened, slipping in the seat beside her.

Just one day with her.

Just one.

He could do that.

Right?

"You still haven't told me where we're going," Hades growled, ignoring how close she was; how amazing she smelled.

"Haven't I? Huh." And then, she spat off, her lips curled into a grin as she steered the car through the swirling mountain passes.

Fast.

His girl liked speed. A lot of speed.

 _She's not your girl. She'll_ never _be your girl._

"Is this _your_ car?" Lucian asked, running his fingers over the leather finishings appreciatively.

"No!" she yelled over the air rushing past. "Maggie's! She got it from my parents on her sixteenth birthday! Funny fact, _I_ got a bike! And not the cool kind! An _actual_ bicycle!"

Lucian's lips twitched. "If this is how you drive, can you blame them?!"

"I guess not!" she laughed, shooting him a measuring glance. "You're not scared, are you?!"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I don't scare easily!"

"We'll see!" she sang, steering the car off the main road, and then driving a few minutes through a carpet of dirt before parking between a cluster of trees.

"Okay-" he snarled, getting out of the car when she did. "-is this the part where you murder me?"

She laughed, throwing her bag and sunglasses on the backseat of the car. " _Another_ joke, mister Nox?"

Watching her untie her long locks, his mind flashed back to the night before, to that robe she'd been wearing and the way her hair had felt flowing though his fingers-

 _Stop!_

Clutching his hands, he walked to the edge of the cliffs she'd parked next to, hoping to find some relief in the cool ocean air...but he didn't. He feared nothing would give him the relief he needed...except maybe burying himself inside of her and-

"One question," she said behind him, her sweet voice only making his pants tighter. "Is that an expensive suit?"

He swallowed hard before gnarling, "Probably."

"That's too bad."

He frowned, about to ask what she meant...but then, there was a rustling sound behind him. A rustling sound he recognized all too well. A rustling sound that made his heart stop.

 _Why the hell did she just take her dress off?_

"Remember when you said you don't scare easily?" she sang, not waiting for an answer. "Proof it."

He turned, confused…only to see her running towards him in a bikini that matched the dress she no longer wore.

He stood, frozen, fighting the demon that urged him to meet her halfway and take her on top of that fucking car. He won the fight, barely, staying right where he was…until he realized at the very last moment that she wasn't running towards _him_. She was running towards the edge of the cliffs. When he understood what was about to happen, he yelled out her name, trying to stop her, but it was too late. Pushing herself off, Adrianna jumped, dropping down into the ocean below, disappearing under water.

* * *

Adrianna closed her eyes, marveling in that feeling she loved so much; that feeling of being free. The wind swooshed past, the sun beamed down on her...and then, she hit the water, letting it enveloped her, swallow her whole.

God, she loved nature.

Just being able to swim in the ocean made her soul sing. She could never live in a town that was all iron and metal. She attributed that to her upbringing. The house she'd grown up in was built right next to a beautiful lake, in the middle of a clearing surrounded by forest, by nature. She'd woken with the birds, fallen asleep with an orchestra of crickets or the soft song of an owl. It was a peaceful place.

And so was this.

Smiling, Adrianna resurfaced, swimming to the little beach hidden against the cliffs. When the warm sand tickled her feet, Adrianna made her way to the cave at the back of the shore, slipping inside. The bag she'd stashed there earlier was still there, which was no surprise. No one ever came here, no one even knew this place existed. If she hadn't accidentally stumbled across it, she never would've known it was there, either. When you looked down from above, you couldn't see it. She'd checked. It was her own private little paradise.

"Adrianna?!"

She smiled when his angry voice echoed off the stone walls. Grinning, she stuck her head out...but her smile faltered the second she spotted him, coming out of the ocean. His black hair was sticking to his tanned skin; drops of water reflecting the sun as they dripped down his chiseled jaw; his Titan's shoulders moving up and down as he tried to steady his breathing. He'd removed his jacket before he'd jumped in after her, but his pants and white shirt were now ruined...and clinging to his impressive body. She could make out the mouthwatering outline of his concrete chest through the thin fabric; could see how well-defined his thighs were...

 _How do men like him even exist?_ She thought, reaching into the bag and pulling the beige beach dress over her head. Not that it covered much up-the see through material barely reached her thighs-but it made her feel _a bit_ more dressed. When she grabbed the swim shorts and t-shirt she'd brought for him, she shot another glance his way...and then slipped the shirt back in the bag before she threw it over her shoulder and joined him on the beach.

Despite the fact that he was clearly furious, she still couldn't take that smile of her face. He looked so upset and confused. It was strangely adorable to see the detached businessman so out of his element.

"Are you out of your goddamned mind?!" he barked, striding towards her like a predator approaching his prey, his dark eyes furious on hers. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! You could've drowned!"

She laughed, dropping the backpack down on the sand. "I've been here many times before, Lucian. The ocean is always calm here, there's no current or dangerous rocks underneath the surface. It's perfectly safe."

"You jumped off a cliff! A fucking _cliff_!"

"So did you."

He stopped at arm's length of her, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."

"Thank you," she snickered, throwing the black swim shorts at him. "You might want to get changed."

He stared at the swimwear, his thick eyebrows knitting together. "What _is_ this?"

"Swim shorts."

When he cocked an eyebrow, she understood that wasn't what he'd meant.

"This is me thanking you," she elaborated.

" _Thanking me_? How is jumping off a cliff _thanking me_?!" he barked, not waiting for an answer before he added, "And where the hell did these shorts even come from?"

She looked down at the backpack at her feet.

"And how did _that_ get here-" he gnarled. "-without getting soaked?"

She nodded at the rocky path at the other end of the beach.

"Are you telling me-" he hissed, narrowing his eyes. "-that there's another way to get down here? One that doesn't involve risking your life?"

"Yes, but where's the fun in that?" she sang, adding before he could bark at her. "How did you think we were going to get back up?"

He shrugged, his anger evident in the hard, rough way he moved his shoulders up and down. "I didn't think about that."

She frowned. "But you _jumped._ Without knowing how you were going to make it back up those cliffs?"

His eyes grew a little softer. "You jumped, so I jumped."

Something warm nestled in her belly at that, that strange sensation of falling overtaking her again even though both feet were firmly planted on the sand.

"That's very Jack Dawson of you," she said after a few tense seconds of silence.

"Who's Jack Dawson?"

"You know, _Jack Dawson_. _You jump, I jump_. Titanic."

"I know you're saying words, but they're not making any sense."

"Titanic!" she said again, sure the penny would drop at any second. "Come on, _Titanic_!"

He just shot her a puzzled look, as if _she_ was the one being crazy.

"You've _never_ seen Titanic?" she gawked. "Leonardo DiCaprio? Kate Winslet?"

"Those are actors, I presume?"

"You _presume_?! Oh, dear God!" she laughed. "You've seen other movies, right? The classics? Fight club, interview with a vampire, Dirty Dancing, Meet Joe Black?"

He cocked an annoyed eyebrow. "I have a certain _function_ to perform, miss Salvatore. An _important_ function. I don't have time for frivolities."

"Frivolities? You mean movies, beaches, sunshine?"

"Exactly," he growled.

She smiled, shaking her head. For someone so successful in business, he really was clueless when it came to life.

"What's so funny?" he asked, watching her closely.

"You," she sang. "You asked me before how _jumping off a cliff_ is thanking you? Well, it's not. Not exactly, anyway. It's just the beginning."

"Just the beginning? Jumping off a cliff is just the beginning?"

She laughed at the trace of horror in his eyes. "Don't worry. We're not jumping out of plane next or anything. Today is just about showing you what you've been missing."

She could see his body tense again as his eyes darkened on hers, the sudden intensity in them making her skin tingle.

"Believe me, miss Salvatore," he growled. "I _know_ what I've been missing."

She swallowed hard-her mouth suddenly dry-before casting him a little smile. "See, you say that, but I don't think you do. I don't think there's _anyone_ in your life who's ever pushed you to go out into the world, to soak up the sun, to live outside of those dark walls. So, that's what _I'm_ going to do today. If I only get _one_ more day, if this is the _last_ time we ever see each other again, I want to spend it showing you what's out there and then maybe, just maybe, when I'm gone, you'll think of me every once in a while and remember today, and decide to go to a beach...or jump off a cliff. That's all I want, Lucian. For you to live. To let go."

"I can't _let go_ ," he snarled, running a hand through his wet hair. "If I let go, if I don't _focus_ on the task at hand-"

"-the world will come to and end?" She'd meant it as a joke, but she could see that same sadness she'd noticed the night before crawling back into his eyes.

" _My_ world will," he rumbled. "I can't afford to forget why I'm here. I can't indulge in the things I want to indulge in, because if I do-"

"-it's harder to return to that office again; to the darkness?" She had no idea where that insight had come from, but she knew she'd hit the nail on the head the second his eyes narrowed on hers.

"Then _don't_ return to the darkness," she offered on a whisper.

"It's not that easy."

"Right. Your brothers." She huffed, shaking her head. "I still say you should just talk to them-"

"I don't really think _you_ should be giving advice on that subject."

She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying, it didn't exactly seem like _your_ brothers were in the loop about your comings and goings. They clearly didn't know you were staying in my house voluntarily."

"That's different."

"How?"

" _I_ don't tell my brothers things because they're ridiculously overprotective. _You_ don't tell yours stuff because you're afraid of them."

"I'm not _afraid_ of them," he snapped.

She just cocked a sceptical eyebrow.

"I'm _not_ ," he snarled. "Those assholes don't have any power over _me_."

She frowned at the emphasis he'd put on _me_. He hadn't done it on purpose and not everyone would've heard, but Adrianna was skilled in picking up on those subtle changes in someone's voice or behavior, a skill she'd learned when interrogating suspects. Lucian obviously wasn't a suspect, so she didn't confront him with his slip-up...but if she had to guess, he was _protecting_ someone by pleasing his brothers.

 _Probably the same woman he's trying to decode The Gomorrah Codex for,_ a jealous voice hissed in her head. _The one he wrote that beautiful piano piece for._

"Besides," Lucian interrupted her thoughts. "Your brothers can't be _that_ overprotective if they let you come here, alone."

She forced a smile, that ugly green monster still clawing at her heart. "Well, they're not just going to follow me around without a good reason. They _do_ have lives off their own."

"Right," he rumbled, his eyebrows pulling together. "But there _is_ a good reason, though."

"They know you're not a threat, Lucian. I made that clear last night."

"Not _me_. Rodchenko."

She let out a cross between a laugh and a sniff. "I didn't tell them about Rodchenko."

Lucian froze, his jaw clenching. "What do you mean, you didn't tell them about Rodchenko?! Are you out of your mind?! He tried to put a bullet in your head!"

"Which is exactly _why_ I didn't tell them," she said, smiling in an attempt to lighten his mood. When she realized lightening his mood wasn't in the cards, she let out a deep sigh and explained in a serious voice, "Look, Lucian, I _couldn't_ tell them. They would've dragged my ass back to Italy!"

"Good!"

She flinched, her heart aching in her chest. "Wauw, you _really_ can't get me far enough away from you, can you?"

"Away from _Rodchenko_!" he corrected, his eyes spitting fire. Almost literally. If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn she saw _actual_ flames dancing in his irises. "You have to tell your brothers! They need to protect you!"

The ache in her chest was replaced by anger, her hands balling in fists. "First of all, for someone who's claimed on numerous occasions not to care about my safety, you sure _act_ like you care and secondly, like I told you before, I don't _need_ anyone to protect me! I can take care of myself!"

"Damn it, you stubborn-"

"I'm not stubborn," she cut him off. "I just know when I'm right!"

"You're not right!"

"No?" she snarled, taking a few steps away from him. "Attack me."

The hard, angry lines on his face disappeared, confusion taking over his features. "What?"

"Attack me. Come on, Nox. I'm just a little, defenseless girl, right?"

"I never said you were a little, defenseless-"

"Don't backpaddle now," she said, planting her feet firmly in the warm sand. "Attack me."

"I'm not going to attack you!"

"Chicken."

He cocked an annoyed eyebrow. "Did you really think that would work? I'm not some sixteen year old who-" His arm shot up, his eyes wide as he blocked her right hook.

She smiled, surprised. "Well done."

She swung with her other arm and he leaned back, her fist missing its target once again.

"Stop trying to hit me!" he barked. "I'm not fighting you!"

"Fine, then _don't_ fight me," she sang. "But you should definitely defend yourself."

She could tell he wasn't done objecting to this idea, but before he could utter a single word, she went for him. She wasn't actually trying to hurt him, off course. She just wanted to show him she was a force to be reckoned with; that she didn't need anyone keeping her safe from the wolves outside her door.

She _was_ a wolf.

And apparently, so was _he_. Like her, he was obviously not trying to hurt her. He never landed a single punch...but he could stand his own.

"You're not too bad at his."

"You sound surprised."

"I am. I didn't expect these moves from a suit."

"A suit?"

And then, he did something that made every guard inside of her come down.

He smiled.

Actually _smiled_.

Little dimples appeared beside his mouth, his eyes sparkling. She'd never seen him so _soft_. He still oozed power and danger, but the hard edges were gone and for the first time, she saw a vulnerable side to him. A _human_ side.

And it was beautiful.

"I'm not a suit, Salvatore," he said, his smile even audible in his voice. "Trust me."

 _I do._

Blinking wildly, she tore her eyes away from his curling lips, her heart thundering in her chest.

 _You trust him?_ a voice snarled in her head.

Shaking her head, she went for him again, trying to distract herself...but failing.

 _How can you trust him?_ that voice continued in her head as she swung and blocked, advancing and retreating. _You met him a few weeks ago! It makes no sense for you to-_

Her thoughts halted abruptly when he took advantage of her distraction, grabbing the arm that had blocked his latest swing and spinning her around. Suddenly, she found herself pressed up against him, his hands wrapped around her wrists, pinning them down over her chest. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she should struggle, break free...but the second she'd felt his chest against her back-the chill of his still wet shirt touching her skin-she felt herself relax instead. It went against everything she'd been taught; against every instinct she had...but she somehow found herself _surrendering_ instead of _fighting_. And it didn't help that she could feel his warm breath on her neck or that the salty smell of the ocean barely masked his own distinct, mouthwatering scent.

 _God, why does he feel so good?_

"See," he growled, his raw voice making her melt even more...at least until he added, "You _need_ your brothers."

Anger once again blazing through her blood, she pulled herself together and hissed, "I'm holding back, Nox. I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"From where I'm standing, I'm the only one in the position to cause hurt."

"Well, then maybe you should stand somewhere else," she snarled before turning her palms out and then shoving her hands down, releasing herself from his grip. The second she was free, she crouched down and spun around, kicking his legs out from under him. When his back hit the sand, she moved towards him, smiling victoriously as she straddled him, pinning down his legs with hers, her hands on his chest keeping him down.

"You were saying?" she sang, grinning.

He didn't answer.

He didn't even move.

She noticed his Adam's apple bouncing, though; his hands gripping the sand beside her legs...and all off a sudden, she became very aware of the position she was in.

Literally.

She could feel the wet fabric of his pants through her bikini bottoms, his thighs flexing between hers, his chest underneath her palms heaving... And his eyes, those dark eyes, pierced hers in a way that made a hot shiver shoot up and down her spine. Why hadn't she thought this through? She was on top of him, for God's sake! She should move! Get up and _move..._ but she couldn't. She just sat there, fighting her body; a body that wanted to lean down, close the distance between them and finish what they'd started last nigh-

A wave crashed onto the shore, the cold water brushing against her leg, bring her back to reality. Blinking wildly, she pulled herself together and rose...but before she could get far, his hands flew up from the sand, clasping down on her hips.

She froze, sparks igniting where he was touching her, her heart beating in her throat, her mouth going dry again and-

"What is _that_?" he growled.

Confused, she followed his angry eyes; eyes that were now focused on her belly. More specifically, on the tiny, round scar on her belly.

Reluctantly shrugging off his touch, she got up, self consciously pressing her palm over the mark. " _That_ is the reason I don't wear bikinis around my family anymore."

He got back on his feet too, gnarling, "Did you get _shot_?"

She frowned at the rage in his voice, not sure why this news pissed him off so much. "Once. I did this undercover assignment when I was just starting out and the guy caught me off guard."

"You never told me that."

She huffed, cocking an eyebrow. "When would I have mentioned something like this? During the many long conversations we've had... _never_?"

She noticed him grinding his teeth before he snarled, "What happened to the man who shot you?"

"I don't know," she lied. "After he shot me, I passed out. I woke up in the hospital and he was gone."

"You didn't look for him?" he snarled.

"Off course, I did. The entire force did. But he was gone without a trace."

"What about your parents?"

"What about them?"

"You told me last night that they have a private security business. Did _they_ look? I'm sure they have a better chance at finding him than your colleagues."

"What makes you say that?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Off course, he was right...but he couldn't know that. He didn't know what her parents were, what they could do.

"Instinct," he answered on a hiss. "So, _did_ they look?"

"They would've...if they'd known."

"They don't know?!" he snapped. "How can _your parents_ not know that you got shot?!"

"When it happened, I told the hospital not to contact them," she said, cocking an eyebrow. "And like I said, I don't wear bikinis around them, so they've never seen the scar."

"Jesus, you really can't ask for help, can you?"

"I asked _you_ for help, with Rodchenko!"

"No, you _didn't_! I _forced_ my help on you!"

She rolled her eyes, knowing full well that he was right...but she wasn't about to admit that. "Look, I just didn't want to worry them needlessly. The bullet went straight through without hitting anything vital. It was no big deal. "

"No big deal? You were _shot_!"

"Yes, and I'm still here, alive and kicking; as in, _kicking your ass!_ "

He sniffed. "You didn't _kick my ass_."

"If that's what you need to tell yourself."

His lips twitched again, but she could still see the anger-and _worry-_ on his face.

"You know, you should get changed," she said, pointing at the swim shorts he'd abandoned in the sand when they'd started fighting. "Keeping those wet clothes on isn't a good idea. Aren't you freezing?"

"No, I'm fine."

 _Off course he's not cold. Look at him,_ that new girly voice chimed in her head. _He's hot as hell._

She mentally rolled her eyes at this newly discovered side of herself, clearing her throat before saying, "Well, do whatever you want, but I'm going for a swim."

She moved passed him, towards the ocean. The cold water would do her some good. Maybe she could get her body temperature back down to a normal degree, although she had a feeling that wasn't going to happen as long as _he_ was around. How much longer was she going to feel this attraction? Surely, his effect on her should've worn off by now. Shouldn't she be used to his physical appeal yet?

 _Maybe it's not just physical. Maybe there's something deeper that pulls you in._

She reached the ocean just in time to stop that thought from taking root and soon, she let the water consume her, thinking off nothing but how amazing it felt, wrapped around her body.

* * *

 _How did I not know she got shot?_

Hades watched with bated breath as she took off the barely-there beach dress, dropped it in the sand and disappeared into the ocean. He'd figured out how it was possible he'd never seen the scar before. In the dreamworld, people were a product of their own invention. Adrianna clearly didn't like the scar, so she hadn't brought it with her into their dreams...but he didn't understand why Adrianna had never spoken to him about what had happened. They'd met way before she'd become a cop, so he'd been in her life already when it had happened and yet, not a word.

Why would she hide that from him?

A breeze blew over the beach and Hades shivered. It was a new sensation to be cold...and he didn't like it one bit. Casting one more glance towards her bopping head in the water, he grabbed the swim shorts from the sand and made his way to the cave to change.

 _So, what now?_ the monster inside growled. _She didn't tell her brothers about Rodchenko. No one's looking out for her. You know what this means, right? You know what you have to do._

 _No,_ he growled back. _After today, we're done. We have to be. I can't be around her anymore. Especially not if she keeps straddling me in bikinis._

 _So, you're just going to leave her to fend for herself, then? Because it's a little difficult for you?_

 _A little?! Every inch of my body hurts from trying to resist her!_

 _Okay...then go behind her back. Tell her brothers what's going on. You heard her yourself; they'll take her to Italy and keep her safe._

 _That can't happen either. If I find the spell to hide her from my brothers, I'll need to be able to cast it immediately and since most powerful spells have to be performed with the person who's getting spelled present, I can't have her on some Salvatore lock-down in Italy._

 _Right,_ that monster snickered. _And your reluctance has nothing to do with the fact that you can't stand the idea of her being halfway across the world? Why can't you just admit that you love having her around. It's hard, sure, but you and I both know you wouldn't trade this time with her for anything in the world..._

Hades ignored the monster, putting his clothes on top of a pile of rocks, making his way back to the beach just in time to see her coming out of the ocean…

 _Fuck me._

Off all the places she could've taken him, she just _had_ to take him to a beach, a place where she'd be in a goddamned bikini, looking like a goddess. Her raven hair was sticking to her cheeks; those bright blue eyes closing as she raised her face to the warm sun; her red lips curling in a sweet smile…

When she made her way towards him, he could've sworn he saw her eyes run over his chest for just a moment, her cheeks flushing…but he didn't dwell on that. If he let himself dwell on that blush; on the notion of her getting turned on by the sight of him, he wouldn't be able to keep the monster at bay for much longer.

"You got changed," she said when she reached him, gathering her wet hair over one shoulder. "You weren't getting cold by any chance, were you?"

God, he loved that teasing tone to her voice.

"No," he said, rolling his eyes when her smile turned into a knowing grin. "Okay, fine, maybe a little."

"Mmmmm," she chimed, bending down to grab something from her backpack again.

He tried. He _really_ tried…but he couldn't stop his eyes from landing on that curvy bottom of hers as she bend over. He still remembered what it felt like to bury his fingers in those cheeks; to hold on to them when she rode him; to feel them tense right before she came.

"One for you-" she said, holding out a white towel for him without looking up. "-and one for me."

He was grateful for the damned thing. Not so much because he was still cold-he was scolding hot at that point-but because he could use it to hide his lust for her, strategically holding it in from of his shorts.

"So, what do we do now?" he asked as she spread her towel out over the sand.

"Now, we take in some much needed vitamin C," she sang, laying down on the soft fabric with a deep sigh

He frowned, watching her as she raised her arms above her head and closed her eyes.

"So, we just…lie down?"

She opened one eye again, grinning. "Yes, mister Nox. We just lie down. It's called _relaxing_. You _are_ familiar with the concept, aren't you?"

 _Not really._

He didn't answer. Instead, he followed her lead, spreading out his towel beside her and laying down. At first, his body was very aware of the fact that she was right there, his every sense heightened…and then, he heard her breathing steady. He knew that sound, knew what it meant. She'd fallen asleep.

His lips twitching endearingly, he dared a glance her way, a warmth that had nothing to do with the sun spreading out inside of him. Not so long ago, he'd never seen her like this. He'd always been there when she dreamt, but he'd never been there to see her sleep, to hear those adorable sounds she made. It was a sight he'd take with him into eternity.

His fingers itched to reach out and feel that warm skin underneath his fingertips; to brush a wet curl from her cheek; to trace the swell off her lips…but he'd only be torturing himself.

Digging his fingers into the sand instead, he tore his gaze away from her, trying to think of anything else. But he couldn't. He hadn't been able to think of anything else since the moment he'd seen that vague vision of her. Did he really think he could think of anything else now that she was actually here, laying right beside him?

Forcing himself not to look at her again, he closed his eyes…and soon, he felt himself drift, too. The fact that he hadn't slept since the night before last was finally catching up with him…and he happily let it overtake him.

At least asleep, he would be able to keep his hands off her.

* * *

Adrianna wasn't sure what had woken her. Maybe the sound of the seagulls flying above, maybe the chill in the air that came with the sun lowering in the sky. Whatever it was though, she was grateful. Even before she'd opened her eyes, she'd been able tell something was…different. Normally when she woke, she felt cold, her legs curled against her chest, annoyed her sleep had been interrupted…but now, the first thing she felt when her mind came back from the abyss of sleep, was this strange new warmth. Not a warmth that came from the outside, but one that started from within, soothing her entire being. It was only when she finally opened her eyes, that she realized what was causing this wonderful feeling.

 _Him._

At some point, they'd both fallen asleep and when Adrianna had rolled onto her side… he had followed. She could feel his hard body curled up against her back, his warm breath brushing against her hair, his spicy scent enveloping her. And as if those things alone weren't tantalizing enough, she suddenly realized he'd draped his arm over her side, holding her locked in his embrace, his hand wrapped around hers…and hers holding on tightly to his.

Lying there in the sand, with her heart slamming against her chest, Adrianna felt something she'd never felt before; something between happiness…and panic. She was enjoying this way too much. Normally, she didn't like being touched by anyone but her family, especially not in such an intimate way, but with him, it felt natural, as if she'd been spooning with him for years.

Trying not to freak out, she considered her options. She _could_ move, but then she would risk waking him up and she thought it was best to avoid that. Obviously, neither of them had gotten in this position on purpose. Sometime during their slumber, their bodies had just _done this_ for some reason and she feared that if they woke together, things would get awkward; kind of like waking up next to a stranger after a drunk one night stand. Or so she'd been told by Maggie. She didn't want it to be like that, to feel uncomfortable, especially not if this was the last day she had with him. She didn't want to spend those last moments in tense silence. So, for that reason-and that reason alone- she decided to stay right where she was. It had nothing to do with the fact that she felt like she belonged in his embrace nor did it have anything to do with how safe she felt with him holding her. No. It had nothing to do with either of those reasons.

Nothing.

 _Sure, keep telling yourself that, but sooner or later-_

Her thoughts halted abruptly when he stirred behind her.

Quickly, she closed her eyes again and steadied her breathing, feigning sleep. At first, she felt him holding her even closer, his nose brushing over her neck, making goosebumps trickle down her skin...and then, his entire body tensed. His mind must've finally shaken off the last remains of sleep and now, he was fully aware of where he was; of who he was holding...and judging from the soft growl she heard slip from his lips, he wasn't too happy about it.

Keeping perfectly still, she almost smiled when he didn't immediately move. For a few long, beautiful seconds, he just held her... and then, within the space of a single breath, he was gone. She ignored how her body mourned the loss; how that strange thing in her chest clenched; how that little voice in her mind screamed to turn over, grab those broad shoulders, kiss those luscious lips and make him stay...but in the end, she did none of that. She just laid there, listening to his feet moving over the sand, taking him away from her in a fast pace. When she recognized the sound of someone diving into the water, she finally opened her eyes, catching a glimpse of his body disappearing underneath the surface.

Letting out a deep sight, Adrianna rolled on her back, staring at the orange sky above with a frown.

"Pull yourself together, Adrianna," she whispered to herself, burying her fingers in her hair. "Lets not forget that this is the last day you have with him. He's made it perfectly clear that he wants nothing to do with you after today." That new ache pinched her heart again and she sat up straight, hugging her knees to her chest as she snarled, "Stop it! Stop _feeling_ for him! It can go _nowhere_! It can only-"

Her brain forgot how to form words when he came out of the ocean again. He clearly hadn't enjoyed his short swim. His eyes were angry, his jaw set...but that chest...Gawd, that chest. Watching him, she felt her insides tighten like they'd done the last time she'd seen him come out of the water, all dripping and hard edges. But something was _different_ , too. She could tell that it wasn't just _lust_ crawling through her veins anymore. Something had changed inside of her; grown soft and warm...and she wasn't sure if she liked it.

Trying to get her mind off that disturbing feeling, she jumped on her feet, gathering the towels and shoving them back in the backpack.

When she heard him come up behind her, she purposely avoided his eyes as she said, "We should go. We'll be late."

"Late for what?"

Those butterflies fluttered in her stomach again at his deep, rumbling voice. Why wasn't she getting used to that sound?

"You'll see," she just said, plastering a smile on her face before turning towards him…and finding him standing right behind her, so close she could feel the coldness off the ocean that clung to his body. She could see his Adam's apple bounce, his eyes turning even angrier right before he rounded her and disappeared back into the cave.

"Okay, can you _please_ pull yourself together," she whispered, throwing the backpack over her shoulder. "If you don't, you might freak him out and he'll stop indulging you. You remember how hard it was to get him to come with you, right?"

After he emerged from the cave, once again fully clothed, they made their way up the rocky path in silence, watching as the sun slowly slipped underneath the horizon. When they reached the car, Adrianna put her dress back on and tied her hair into a high ponytail again before getting behind the wheel. Lucian was already in the passengers seat, his angry eyes on on the road ahead. This had clearly been a bad idea. She'd wanted to take him somewhere peaceful; somewhere he could shake of the darkness, the stress…but judging from his body language, she'd done the exact opposite. He was more tightly wound than she'd ever seen him...

She swallowed back a sudden lump in her throat, her chest hurting as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Those grey depths immediately locked onto hers, his eyebrows pulling together even more.

"I thought you'd like it here," she added in a soft voice that dripped with regret. "Clearly, I was wrong."

"No."

Her wringing hands froze as she matched his frown. "No?"

"No," he repeated in a commanding voice, those beautiful eyes piercing hers intensely. "You weren't wrong…Adrianna."

She couldn't stop the smile from spreading over her face when he said her name for the first time since the library, since they almost-

"Good," she cut off that memory, turning on the engine. "Then I'm sure you'll love the next part, too."

"And you're really not telling me what the next part entails?"

"Dinner," she said, steering the car back to the main road.

"Just dinner?" he asked, clearly skeptical.

"Just dinner."

"Why don't I believe you?"

She simply smiled and focused on the road, enjoying the wind in her hair and the mesmerizing colors that painted the sky.

* * *

"Are you sure you're not lost?"

Adrianna laughed. "Yes, I'm sure. Relax."

Hades cocked an eyebrow, glancing around skeptically. They'd been navigating through a maze of alleys for a while now and he was pretty sure no one would be dumb enough to open a restaurant anywhere near here. Not to mention he didn't like walking around in this part of town after sunset with Adrianna...especially not when she looked the way she did; her hair loose, her skin sunkissed from their day on the beach. _She_ was still wearing that same mouthwatering dress, but she'd foreseen _him_ jumping off that cliff and had stopped by his house to grab fresh clothes before coming to the club to get him. Good thing too, because the shirt and pants he'd been wearing were ruined.

He would jump after her again in a heartbeat, though. It had been worth spending the day with her, seeing her in that damned bikini...waking up next to her. He still didn't know how he'd ended up spooning her. It's like, as soon as his mind had fallen asleep and he was no longer in conscious control over his body, it had acted on instinct and apparently, his instinct was holding the woman he loved...and she'd felt so fucking good, curled into him, her firm behind snuggled against his groin, her tiny fingers clutching his, his nose buried in her hair...

Feeling his blood heat again, Hades wished he was back on that beach, with an ice cold ocean at hand to jump into. But he wasn't, so instead, he straightened his tie, keeping his hands busy before he lost control of them, grabbed her, pushed her against the nearest wall, lifted up that dress and-

"Anna?"

The heat in his veins went from lust to rage when he saw Gabriel Vasquez walking towards them, a big grin on his face and his eyes way too interested on Adrianna. When he reached them and hugged her, Hades had to look away, just to stop himself from...acting on instinct.

"Gabriel," Adrianna greeted when he let go of her, her voice clearly confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came from a consultation with a potential new client," he said, his eyes flickering from Adrianna to Hades. "And you?"

"We're just grabbing a bite to eat," Adrianna said, taking a step back so she stood beside Hades again when she said, "You remember Lucian Nox, don't you?"

"Off course," Gabriel said, holding out his hand with a smile that was a lot less welcoming than the one he'd shot Adrianna. "The club-guy."

Hades sniffed at the subtle insult, shaking his hand. "And you're the PI-guy."

"Yes. Speaking off-" Gabriel said, focusing back on Adrianna. "-I've been trying to get a hold of you, but you disappeared off the radar."

"I know. I'm sorry," said, switching from one foot to another. She was feeling uncomfortable...and for some reason, that pleased Hades. She clearly wasn't enjoying Gabriel's presence. "I just needed a little time after what happened to Gerard."

"Right, I heard about that," Gabriel said, rubbing her arm, making Hades grind his teeth. "I can't believe Rodchenko actually hired a sniper. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks to Mister Nox," she said, smiling up at Hades, making the anger in his chest cool. "He pushed me out of the way. He saved my life."

Gabriel tried to smile at Hades, but even a blind man could see it wasn't a sincere smile. This man clearly didn't trust him...and he obviously didn't like him around Adrianna.

"We should go," Adrianna cut the tense silence, sweetly grabbing Hades' arm, making sparks shoot up and down the limb.

"Yeah, I should go, too," He nodded, checking his phone. "But we should meet up soon, Anna."

"Why?" Hades snapped.

He could tell by Gabriel's expression that he didn't appreciate Hades jumping into the conversation, but he really didn't care what that idiot thought. Under _his_ watch, Rodchenko had almost shot and killed Adrianna, so as far as Hades was concerned, Gabriel's business with her was over. Not to mention it was obvious this moron had more than just a business-interest in her. Calling her _Anna_ , hugging her, looking at her the way he did...

 _Fucker._

"I understand that you needed some time off," Gabriel said, addressing Adrianna again. "And I've been trying to keep track of Rodchenko on my own, but I can't be there twenty four seven. I need sleep and I have other clients, so I was just wondering if you already feel up to taking over the stakeouts-"

"She won't be doing that anymore."

Hades ignored the glare Adrianna shot him and kept his eyes locked with Gabriel's.

"You speak for her now?" the fucker said, dropping his polite pretense.

"No, he doesn't," Adrianna hissed. "He-"

"-doesn't think it's a very good idea for her to go anywhere near Rodchenko anymore," Hades finished her sentence, still glaring at the man. "Since he tried to shoot her and all. If you really need your eight hours of beauty sleep, I can arrange for someone to take over the stakeouts."

"You can _arrange_ for someone?" Gabriel sniffed, his eyes switching back to Adrianna. "Who is this guy?"

"Look-" Adrianna said before Hades could show him exactly who _this guy_ was. "-I'll call you, okay? We'll talk about it."

Her soft voice clearly had a calming effect on the man. Hades could see his anger vanish, that ridiculous boyish smile curling his lips again.

"Alright," the idiot said, giving her a tight nod. "It was nice to see you, Anna."

"Same here, Gabriel," she said and then, she put some pressure on Hades' arm, signaling for him to move. He was more than willing to oblige, rounding the man without a word, marveling in the feeling of her hand on him.

"So," Hades said when they'd turned the corner. "You didn't ask _him_ to drop the case, huh? Aren't you worried about Rodchenko coming after _him_?"

He could swear he saw her blush, but the darkness made it hard to be sure. "He knows the risk."

"As do I."

She shot him an annoyed glare. "You know what I mean. It's his job. It's _not_ yours. I dragged you into this Rodchenko-mess and that wasn't fair to you. "

"You didn't drag me into-"

"Could we not have this argument _again_?" she cut him off, sighing. "Let's just pick up where we left off before we bumped into Gabriel. Please."

What was it about the word _please_? Why couldn't he deny her anything when she uttered that single word?

"Alright," Hades said. "I think, before _he_ came along, I was pointing out you're clearly lost."

She laughed again, the sound making the last traces of his anger fade.

"O ye, of little faith," she snickered...and then, she turned sideways and knocked on a door which Hades hadn't even noticed was there. The color and design blended in with the brick of the alley, making it so you wouldn't even notice it was there; not unless you knew to look for it.

And Adrianna had clearly known.

The soft clicking of metal pierced the night and then the door opened, a muscled man shooting them both a strict glare before booming, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Adrianna said. "I'm here to see the Fairy Godmother."

Hades frowned, but the man didn't seem fazed, responding, "She's not in. Her carriage turned into a pumpkin."

 _What?_

"Well, then I'll just have some tea with Merlin," Adrianna said, smiling.

"Plain?" the man asked.

"Two sugars and a dash of milk. No lemon."

He nodded and then stepped aside. Adrianna signaled for Hades to follow her and he did, staying close.

"Code?" he asked as they walked down the dark entry.

She nodded, her smile widening when the sound of a saxophone came drifting towards them. "The door is pretty inconspicuous, but just in case some random people stumble on it, the code makes sure they can't get in. This place runs on exclusivity and privacy, so if you don't know the right things to say, there's no way you're getting past the bouncer."

Considering the tight security, Hades expected to find some dazzling, modern place…but when they finally came to the end of the hallway and two other, well-built men held open the thick velvet curtains, Hades couldn't help but frown. Instead of the expensive interior he'd imagined, Adrianna led him into a space that was _anything but_ expensive. There was a wooden bar to the right lined with stools, a makeshift stage in the very back where a very skilled live band was performing and the rest of the room was taken up by a few tiny round tables placed around a crowded dance floor.

"Not what you thought you'd find?" She asked, no doubt noticing his confused expression.

"Not really no. I thought-"

"Adrianna?"

Adrianna's smile grew even wider when an elderly man came waking towards them, watching her with warm eyes.

"Henry," she sang, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "It's been too long."

The man smiled, the lines on his face deepening. "How have you been, dear?"

"Good. Busy."

"Ah," he groaned, shaking his head. "Youth is waisted on the young. Isn't that right, mister-"

"Nox," Hades said, shaking the hand he'd been offered. "Lucian Nox."

"Lucian Nox?" Henry repeated, frowning. "Not the Nox that runs Club Cepa?"

"One and the same, I'm afraid."

The man laughed, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Oh please, I've heard nothing but good things about your club and as you can see, it's not like we're in competition with each other."

"Well, that wouldn't be fair, would it.? You'd win hands down," Adrianna said, winking at Henry before shooting Hades a teasing smile.

The man laughed again, nodding his head in the direction of an empty table. "You should take your date to a table before I steal the little charmer away, mister Nox."

"It's not a da-"

Henry turned and walked away, laughing, before Adrianna could finish her correction.

"Shall we?" Hades asked, offering his arm for her to hold again. There were a few steps down and she'd changed into heels earlier which made something simple as steps tricky…but that wasn't the only reason he'd offered. He'd _loved_ the feeling of her hand on his arm earlier.

When she slipped her arm through his, holding on to his bicep, he suppressed a groan and instead said, "Nice man."

Adrianna nodded, her fingers tightening, that blush coloring her cheeks again as he led her to the little table Henry had pointed out, the wood underneath their shoes creaking.

"This used to be a speakeasy during the prohibition, you know," she said. "Henry fixes it up every now and then, but just enough to make sure it doesn't fall apart at the seams."

"Obviously."

Her lips twitched as he pulled back the wooden chair. When she'd taken a seat, he held on to the chair a little longer, just to make sure it would hold. Like the rest of the interior, it looked like it could collapse at any moment. It had a certain charm, though; like they'd stepped into the past. He could see why she loved it here.

"Not really what you're used to, huh?" she sang when he sat down opposite to her.

Hades frowned, unbuttoning his jacket. "You really _do_ think I'm a suit, don't you?"

She bit that lip of hers, making him shift uncomfortably. How could she make him so fucking hard, just by biting her lip?

"You did notice I brought you _two_ options to change into, right?" she smiled. "Jeans and a T-shirt, which I had to dig up from the very back of your closet...and a suit. Remind me again, _which_ one did you pick?"

He cocked an eyebrow, trying to feign annoyance even though he could feel his lips twitch again. What was it with him and the smiling? He _never_ smiled...but with her around, his damned lips seemed to either curl or yearn to kiss her…or both.

"Just because I _wear_ a suit, doesn't mean I _am_ a suit," he said, not liking the idea of Adrianna thinking of him as stuck-up. If she only knew who he really was, _what_ he really was...

"No," she agreed. "But _the house_ does. And the arrogance. And the expression on your face when we came in here-" she trailed off, adding on a frown. "-but then, you fight the way you do and throw me for a loop."

"Fight the way I do? I don't fight like a suit?"

She shook her head, letting out a little laugh. "No, you don't. You fight with too much passion and urgency. Suits don't fight like that. They're all technique, no fire, which is why they always lose. You need to be able to improvise, to _feel_ your opponent's next move before he makes it. That's what I was taught, anyway."

"By who?" He asked, always eager to hear about her past, about her life when she wasn't with him in her dreams. Adrianna had always been open with him; talking without reservation about her family, her career, her friends...but _here_ , it was different. Outside of their dreams, they had all the time in the world to talk, without the fear of her waking up, which meant she had more time to tell the stories that hadn't necessarily defined her, but still made her smile the way she was smiling now. And he had more time to ask questions, to dig deeper, to find out exactly what made his woman tick.

"Pretty much my entire family," she answered his question, gathering her curls over one shoulder before she continued, "Because of their job, my family was worried some people could get the stupid idea in their head to come after them and those they love-"

"Meaning you," he growled.

"And my brothers, yes," she said, frowning for a second, no doubt because of the angry tone to his voice. "So, if it had been up to my dad, I would've learned how to fight before I learned how to talk. Luckily, my mom was the voice of reason. At least for a little while. As I got older, she got on board with my dad. In fact, after a while, every single member of my family kept trying to rope me into some form of martial arts-"

"But you didn't want any part of it?"

"No, I just wanted to be normal. I already had enough trouble fitting in at school."

"Why?" he rumbled, noticing a hint of sadness in her eyes.

She shrugged. "Let's just say my family's always been a little...mysterious. No one really knew them and I was the first of the Salvatores to go to school in town."

"Your brothers didn't go to school?"

"Homeschooled," she explained. "They...advanced pretty quickly."

 _Right._

For a second there, he'd forgotten her brothers were born as vampires. They wouldn't have been able to go to a regular school. At least, not without their little secret being discovered.

"So, the other kids were mean?"

"No. Not mean. They just...kept away."

"I'm sorry."

A little smile pulled at her lips, her eyes softening on his. "It's not _your_ fault. Besides, it's not like I didn't have friends. My family was-and still are- my best friends and that includes Maggie. I don't lack love or support. _But_ , when you're a teenager, you want some peers to notice you too and I didn't think becoming _Xena, The Warrior Princess_ would help me with being socially accepted."

"But you like fighting _now_ ," he said, watching her lean back in her chair. "I saw it in you face earlier."

"I do."

"So, what changed your mind?"

She smiled, tucking a curl behind her ear. "The house I grew up in, back in Italy, is surrounded by woods. One of my favorite things to do growing up, was get lost in those woods. I knew them like the back of my hand; knew ever brook; ever clearing. It was my slice of heaven. One night, when I was fifteen, I was out for a run and I heard this keg party going on. I decided to go and warn them that they were on private property before my brothers felt the need to. They wouldn't ask as nicely as me. Actually, they wouldn't _ask_ , period. So, I went and about halfway there, I saw this girl, about my age, with a guy, kissing against a tree and I got this...feeling."

"The same feeling you get with Rodchenko," he rumbled, intrigued.

Her eyes widened a little, little lights igniting in them. "Exactly."

"You knew something was wrong."

She nodded. "So, I hid and waited...and I didn't have to wait long. About two minutes later, this other guy came out of nowhere. Her boyfriend greeted him with this slimy smile on his face and the girl smiled along. She had no clue."

"They were going to hurt her."

She sniffed, crinkling her nose in disgust. "Apparently, the boyfriend thought that because she was with him, she was his property and he had every right to...share her."

Hades felt an fire roar in the pit of his stomach, a fire he recognized all too well. As God of The Underworld, he'd felt that same fire whenever he'd had to deal with those on their way to the worst circles of hell; those humans who had no humanity in them whatsoever.

"I went to help her and found out that, even without any training, my body pretty much knew the basics."

"You kicked their asses."

Adrianna nodded, proud. "And I really liked it. Not the physical act of hurting them, but the feeling of being in control, of being able to take care of myself and most of all, the feeling of helping others. I decided right then and there to stop caring about the fact that I didn't fit in. Standing out was so much more rewarding. So, I started my training the next day and years later, I became a cop."

"Making your family very proud, no doubt."

"Proud and worried," she corrected. "I think they-and especially my dad-would've preferred it if I'd chosen a less dangerous profession. Or if I'd stayed at home all together until I could join the family business."

"But you didn't want to do that?"

"No," she huffed. "I get it, I really do, but I didn't feel like sitting around when I could be out there, making a difference."

"And your father didn't try to stop you? Or your mother?"

"They tried...but I'm not that easily stopped. You should know that by now."

He did. He hadn't been surprised to find out that Damon and Elena Salvatore's daughter was stubborn, though. They were both the most hardheaded people he'd ever met.

"What about you?" she asked.

"What about me?"

"How did your parents feel about you and your brothers getting into the club-life?"

Hades sniffed, wondering exactly what his parents-Cronus and Rhea-would say if they could see him now, on Earth, in love with a mortal. Probably not much good. Then again, his parents had _never_ had anything good to say about their offspring. Especially not that bastard. The only thing Zeus had ever done right was overthrow Cronus and banish him to Tartarus along with the other Titans. That sadistic fuck belonged in that deep, dark hole.

"Not much good, huh?" she said, reading his mind.

"I wouldn't know. They're not in my life."

"Oh," Adrianna whispered, her eyes kind on his. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

They sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at each other and just when she opened her beautiful mouth again, a man came to their table with two beers, a bowl of mixed nuts and a much too warm look in his eyes.

"Welcome back, stranger," the waiter said, flashing his clearly bleached teeth at Adrianna.

"Scott?!" she exclaimed, getting up and hugging the man, making Hades' hands clutch underneath the table.

What was it with these men popping up everywhere like fucking weeds tonight?

"I thought you were going to Brazil?"

"That's still the plan," he said. "But Henry hasn't found a replacement yet, so I'm sticking around until he does. I don't want to leave him in the shit." This Scott acknowledged him then too; his brown eyes zooming in on him. "Hi."

"Oh, sorry," Adrianna said, rubbing her forehead as she sat back down. "Scott, this is Lucian. Lucian, Scott."

Hades returned Scott's tight nod.

"Is the kitchen still open?" Adrianna asked, tapping her fingers on the table.

"Off course," Scott grinned. "Same as always?"

"Two, please," she said, glancing at Hades as she added, "Unless mister Nox would like a menu?"

He sniffed, realizing what she was doing. She was still teasing him about the suit-thing, testing him.

"No," he said, playing her game. "I'm sure that whatever _the same as always_ is, it will be the best thing I've ever had in my mouth."

 _Except for you._

"Good," she laughed, confirming her order with Scott before he walked away. And not a moment too soon. If he'd kept ogling her much longer, Hades would've taken his eyes out with his fucking thumbs.

"The boy likes you," he growled when he was out of hearing distance.

Adrianna frowned, her eyes flickering back to Scott for a second. "No, he's just a friend."

"A friend who likes you."

"Isn't that what friends generally do?"

"You know what I mean."

"You're seeing things."

"Or your blind to them. Just like you're oblivious to that PI's affection for you."

Her eyes dropped for a moment, making Hades straighten in his seat, intrigued. "Oh, you _do_ know about that."

She shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's a recent thing. I'm sure it will pass as quickly as it came."

"I wouldn't be so sure," he rumbled, watching her play with a strand of her hair. "You're not easy to forget."

He froze at the exact same time _she_ did. He hadn't meant to say that last part out loud, but it had slipped from his tongue before he'd been able to stop it.

Swallowing hard, he tore his eyes from her fingers and trailed them up to meet hers. Her blue gaze was warm and confused...and she was blushing.

Fuck, he loved it when she blushed.

He opened his mouth to say _something_ , to take it back, to do damage control...but then suddenly, Henry stood beside their table, sweetly placing his hand on her shoulder, holding out a violin.

Adrianna's blush deepened even more when she noticed the instrument, shaking her head as she shot the man a sweet smile.

"Henry, I can't-"

"Come on, please," he begged, obviously pulling at her heartstrings. "The band is dying to play with you again."

Hades glanced at the men on the stage, all of them watching her expectantly.

"I haven't touched a violin in a long time-"

"It's like riding a bike," Henry pushed, bringing the violin closer to her. "Please, it may be the last chance an old man like me gets to hear you-"

She cut him off by grabbing the instrument, sighing, "Well played."

When she rose, the musicians on the stage started to clap, making Adrianna grin.

"I'll be right back," she said, shooting him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

She was pulled into the dancing crowd by Henry before he could tell her it was alright. The truth was, it was better than alright. He'd had no idea what to say after his slip-up; no idea how to explain his sudden words of affection. It's not like he could tell her he loved her, that she meant everything to him. She could never know that.

His heart aching, he watched her being welcomed on stage by the other musician, all smiles and warmth. He wondered if she knew the effect she had on people. Not just men, but people in general. They liked her, wanted to be around her...and that only emphasized the difference between them. People never welcomed him with such amicability, with such kindness. They shun away fom him, sensing his darkness. Everyone except the beautiful miracle that was playing the violin like an expert, spurring the growing crowd off dancers on. She was so... _alive_.

 _You don't deserve her._

He didn't need that voice in his head to remind him off that. He knew. Just like he knew what the presence of his darkness in her life would do to her light. Like that butterfly in the painting in his office, his darkness would envelop her, trying to warm itself at her light...only to inevitably pull her in the darkness with him.

He knew this.

And yet, this knowledge didn't have the same effect on him as it used to. Before, he would've gotten up from his chair and walked out, hurting her, pushing her away a little bit more. But now, he watched her laugh, her curls bouncing as she moved to the music, as she danced around the man playing the saxophone. Something inside of him was weakening, yielding to her...and he couldn't stop it.

Her bow brushed over the strings one more time and then, the music stopped and the crowd exploded in applaus as the musicians patted Adrianna on the back, hugging her as she laughed.

After taking a little bow, she handed the violin back to Henry, who was waiting beside the stage and then made her way back to him. He noticed a few men trying to approach her, but she blew straight passed them, keeping her eyes on him, doing something to his heart.

When she reached their table, he expected her to sit down, but instead, she held out her hand, brushing away a few stray curls that were sticking to her forehead. He could see how flushed she was; could sense the adrenaline pumping through her veins. He knew what she wanted.

 _Don't,_ that voice warned in his head. But it wasn't a shout anymore, like it used to be.

It was barely a whisper.

"You dance, right? Any man who can fight the way you can, can dance."

When he still didn't move, she laughed, taking a step closer to him, making his body tighten in all the right places.

"Ah, I see," she sang teasingly, reaching out for his tie and loosening it just a little. "You don't want to wrinkle your suit."

She wiggled her eyebrows and then, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Had that little minx really just challenged _him_?

* * *

Adrianna's pulse was racing, a fire roaring in her belly. She felt like her entire body was crackling with electricity as she moved to the rhythm of the music. She'd forgotten what a rush it was to perform, to get lost in the music. It gave her so much energy she needed a release and right now, all she could think of was the music and the way it felt vibrating through her body.

There was only one thing missing.

One man.

Suddenly, two hands clasped down on her hips. She could feel her heart race even faster, her toes curling...until she turned and found some random man grinning at her instead of the one she'd hoped to find. Disappointed, she took a step back, making his hands drop, but the man wasn't that easily deterred. He kept dancing like no one was watching...and no one would want to. The poor man had no rhythm whatsoever.

"You were great up there!" he yelled over the music, doing a twist with his leg that looked unnatural.

"Thank you!"

He clearly misread her answering out of politeness as some sign of interest and moved closer again. She was just thinking about kind ways to blow him off when someone grabbed her hand from behind and twirled her around. As she spun, she almost lost her balance...but luckily, she spun straight into a hard chest.

"Careful with the suit."

Adrianna looked up into his grey eyes, bursting out into laughter. She'd definitely found a button to push...and it was cute as hell.

 _He cares what I think of him..._

"Changed your mind about dancing, huh?"

"It looked like you could use some help," he rumbled, his warm breath hitting her flushed skin, making her blush crawl down her neck. God, how did he do that? How did he make her body feel like it belonged to him...

"Right," she whispered, the hand he was still holding tingling. "Well, I guess you can go then. I'm fine now."

 _Please, don't go._

He made a low, growling sound of agreement; one she felt deep in her belly...but he didn't move. He stayed right where he was, his body inches from hers, setting her skin on fire.

"One dance can't hurt, right?" he rumbled, his narrowing eyes glued to his free hand as it slowly slipped around her waist, making her knees weaken. "It's just one dance."

She frowned, getting the strange feeling that he wasn't talking to her, but himself...However, when the music slowed down and his palm pressed against on the nape of her back, she couldn't care less who he'd been speaking to. All she cared about was the way her body felt against his; the way her soul cried out. It reminded her of Italy...of coming home.

Her heart racing so fast she was sure he could feel it beat against his chest, Adrianna hooked her arms around his neck, her fingers instinctively threading into his dark hair. The ocean had washed out all the product, making his hair thicker, softer, easier to run her fingers through.

His embrace tightening, she noticed his eyes turning a shade darker, but once again, she felt no fear. Just like when she'd woken up on that beach in his arms, she felt safer than she'd ever felt. Closing her eyes, she gave up whatever fight she still had left and surrendered to the moment, resting her head in the crook of his neck, breathing him in. He smelled like fire; like passion; like man…

After a long moment, she felt his body melting against hers too. He was letting go as well...His hands started roaming over her back; one remaining in that little dip right above her behind and the other slowly slipping up to that soft spot between her shoulder blades. She could feel his nose on her neck, his breath touching her skin. Never had she wanted a moment to last as much as she wanted this one to. She had the feeling that, even if she could stay there _forever_ , wrapped in his arms, it still wouldn't be long enough.

Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to test that theory.

She wasn't sure why she opened her eyes when she did or how it was possible that they immediately found the entrance. Maybe it was because, as a cop, she had a sixth sense for trouble. Or maybe it was that famous Salvatore-instinct. Either way, the second she spotted the three individuals entering the bar, she knew they were trouble...and when the fourth one followed after them, she was proven right.

 _Victor Pierce,_ she mentally snarled, recognizing the man who was now walking towards the cluster of tables in the corner. No, not a man. His good looks made it hard to believe he was the cruelest vampire that was currently walking the Earth, but he was. As leader of _The Forsaken_ -rogue vampires who refuse to play by The Salvatores' rules-the blond, blue eyes monster had been on the top of her family's hit list for a solid decade now.

When she quickly scanned the room for any more of his Forsaken, but didn't find any, she realized he wasn't there for her. This was just a coincidence. A fucked up, badly timed coincidence.

 _Just one night,_ she mentally groaned, holding Lucian tighter. _Can't I just have one night off? One night without vampires or criminals? One night, just with him?_

Apparently not.

She couldn't turn a blind eye to this. Not only because it wasn't The Salvatore-way, but also because she knew what was about to happen. He knew Victor Pierce's reputation. He left a trail of destruction, _not_ witnesses. If she had to take an educated guess, she'd guess Henry's place was going to have a problem with their wiring later tonight, burning it down, with everyone in it.

 _Call your brothers,_ that cautious voice inside suggested.

 _Good idea, except, both my phone and Lucian's are in my bag and I left my bag in the car. If I go get it, who knows what will happen by the time I get back._

Making a decision, Adrianna took one last, deep breath-filling her lungs with his scent-and then, slowly loosened her hold on him. She could feel him tense again, snapping out of the same spell she'd been under. Mentally cursing, she pulled back enough to look him in the eye and cast him a sweet smile. He didn't smile back. His grey eyes switched back and forth between hers, as if he was looking for some sort of explanation for what had just happened. He wouldn't find it in her. She had no idea herself...

"I don't feel so well," she lied, needing an excuse to get him out of the club. "I think I saw a bottle of aspirin in the glove compartment of Maggie's car. Would you mind getting me one?"

Something told her he didn't exactly believe her, but if that was really the case, he didn't call her out on it. Without a word, he immediately headed for the door, as if he couldn't get far enough away from her, fast enough.

She didn't have time to feel hurt over that, though. She had to get this done before Lucian returned. Otherwise, what she was about to do next, would raise too many questions she wasn't allowed to answer.

More than a little pissed off, Adrianna went into Salvatore-mode and made a beeline to the table Pierce and his three Forsaken were occupying. She could tell the moment the Forsaken spotted her and then the _second_ they _recognized_ her. They started to rise, ready for a fight, but Pierce whispered something that made then drop back into their seats. They clearly weren't happy about being benched, but they were too scared to disobey Victor Pierce.

"Miss Salvatore," he sang when she reached their table. "What an unexpected pleasure."

"Shut up, Pierce," she hissed, making his slimy smile drop for a split second. " _Shut_ up, _get_ up and _get_ out."

"I don't think that's going to happen, Adrianna. Can I call you Adrianna?"

"No," she snarled, pressing her palms down on their table and leaning in threateningly. "And I wasn't making a request. This bar is off limits."

He sniffed, running a hand through his dirty blond hair. "You know, I heard about you. The Salvatore woman," he rumbled. "The _human_ Salvatore Woman."

 _Was that a threat?_

"The part you should focus on there, is the Salvatore-part," she snarled, itching to slap that smug look off his face. "I _am_ a Salvatore, Pierce. If you don't believe me, we could always ask my brothers. They're in town."

"And yet, they're not here, which means, you haven't tipped them off."

"Yet."

"Pretty ballsy move, facing me alone."

"Not really. You wouldn't be stupid enough to harm me."

"What makes you say that?" he asked, something igniting in his eyes that turned her blood cold.

She pushed back a frown, gnarling, "You wouldn't want to start a war."

"Oh, princess," he snarled, dropping his charming facade. "You started a war a long time ago. You and that family of yours. And we all know war means casualties."

 _Walk away,_ that cautious voice chimed in her head again. _This vampire is out of his fucking mind. Get away from him._

"Last chance, Pierce," she hissed instead of following the voice's advice. "Go now and I'll considering not telling my brothers you threatened me."

He laughed and then, before she'd seen it coming, that crazy asshole grabbed her wrist and snarled, "Oh, I want them to know, sweetheart. In fact, I think I'll leave a message for them in your blood, making sure they-"

"Release her," a deep voice suddenly growled, a voice that made her heart sink and sore at the same time. "Now."

 _No, no, no. Why didn't he just listen and go to the car?_

When Lucian moved to stand beside her, she wanted to tell him to walk away; that he had no idea who he was dealing with; that he could never win this fight...but then, something happened she hadn't seen coming.

Pierce actually let go of her.

Just like that.

Confused, she watched as the vampire's blue eyes locked with Lucian's dark ones...a flicker of recognition in Victor's gaze that made her stomach clench.

 _What the hell?_

"I think it's time for you to leave," Lucian growled, a muscle in his jaw ticking. "Don't you?"

She could see Pierce swallow hard, the fear on his face clear as day. He was afraid...of _Lucian_.

"Did you hear me?!" Lucian barked when Pierce's eyes flickered back to her. "Leave. Now!"

The vampire actually took a scared step back at his loud command, his Forsaken rising to come to their Master's aid...but Pierce shoved his hands against their chests, stopping them. As if he thought Lucian could take the three of them. And then, the next thing she knew, Pierce nodded tightly and disappeared in a flurry of movements, taking his men with him as he scurried out of the bar.

She knew this was what she'd wanted to happen. She'd _wanted_ Victor and his Forsaken to leave...and yet, instead of feeling happy or relieved, she felt _terrified_.

"Are you alright?" she heard Lucian ask.

She didn't answer. She couldn't.

Without a word, she turned her back on him and walked out of the club, into the night, something inside her chest aching in a way it had never ached before.

"Adrianna!"

Rage crawled through her blood when she heard him call after her, his hurried footsteps getting closer and closer.

He'd lied to her.

She'd trusted this man, despite her better judgement...and he'd lied to her.

When he finally caught up with her and cut off her path, she tried to round him...but he moved when she did, stopping her in her tracks.

"Get out of my way!" she snarled, shooting him a deadly look.

"Adrianna, please, let me explain. I-" He reached out for her...and she flinched. She hadn't meant to, but she just felt so enraged, so _betrayed_. His lies had cut deep, deeper than she cared to admit, and if he touched her, she feared she would crumble.

And yet, despite that, she still felt her rage waver for just a split second when she noticed the hurt that crossed his face as she recoiled from him. She actually had to stop herself from apologizing...

"Who are you?!" she snapped instead, hearing her voice tremble.

"What?"

"Who. Are. You?" she repeated, punctuating every word, searching his eyes for the answer, even though she knew she wouldn't find it there. Those eyes were a deep sea of secrets she couldn't navigate. She'd never been able to read them, which is how he'd managed to sneak up on her like this.

"You know who I am," he growled, a vein in his neck throbbing, that damned hurt still in his eyes.

"I thought so, too!" she hissed. "But you scared _Victor Pierce_ in there! Victor Pierce _feared_ you!"

Lucian swallowed hard, his eyes dark on hers.

"Victor Pierce is scared of _no one_!" she continued when he didn't speak. "But one glimpse of _you_ and he all but ran out the door!"

"Adrianna-"

"He _recognized_ you!" she snapped, hating how her body still reacted to him saying her name. " _Why_ did he recognize you, Lucian?!"

"I run a successful club-"

She huffed, shooting him a disappointed look before pushing past him and walking away, hugging herself against the sudden cold that was chilling her to the bone.

"You remember I'm a detective, right?" she snarled over her shoulder when she heard him still following her. "I know when someone's lying! Not to mention there's no reason for Victor to _fear_ a club owner!"

"He didn't fear me!" Lucian tried behind her. "He just-"

Adrianna spun on her heals, feeling her face flush with rage as she hissed, "Stop lying, Lucian! Just _stop_! Tell me how he knew you, right now or I swear to God, I'll assume the worst!"

"The worst?" he growled.

Why was _he_ suddenly angry?

"Yes, _the worst_ ," she snapped. "Victor Pierce isn't a man you want to be associated with! In fact, he's not a man at all!" When Lucian didn't even blink, she added on a hiss, "But you knew that already, didn't you? You know what he is!"

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, she snarled, "Choose your next words carefully, Nox."

"Why?" he snapped. "Because they might be my last?"

She knew he'd said that as some sort of sick joke, but it _wasn't_ a joke to her. And it wouldn't be to her brothers either. "If you are involved with Victor Pierce in any way, they might be!"

"Involved? Did it looked like we are on the same side?"

"No, but I think we've learned tonight that things aren't always what they seem! Now, answer the goddamned question! Do you know what Victor Pierce is?!"

Those mysterious eyes switched back and forth between hers, clearly deliberating what to say and then, he finally growled, "Yes. I know what he is."

She let out a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding, her insides clenching.

"Say it," she whispered. "Just so I know for sure before I take this conversation any further. Say what he is, out loud."

He sighed and then rumbled. "A vampire."

Her lungs forgot how to draw in breath for a moment as she stared at Lucian with renewed eyes. He knew. He knew about vampires. He's known all along.

"How?" she asked. "How do you know? What are you?"

"Are you going to ask me if I'm a demon again?" he growled, reminding her of the first time they'd met. It was a good strategy, taking her on a trip down memory lane...but it only made the ache in her heart worse.

"Yes, I am," she snapped. "See, I only now realize you've never actually answered that question. You dodged it. In fact, you've dodged a lot of my questions. _Don't_ dodge this one."

He didn't speak for a long moment and then, he finally rumbled, "I told you my great aunt was a gypsy-"

"You're a gypsy, too? A witch?"

"I don't have any powers."

"Then why was Victor Pierce so afraid?"

"Because he knows _off_ me," Lucian said. "He knows my name, my lineage and that alone can strike fear in others more than any power out there."

She just glared at him, hating how that rational voice in her head was whispering that he was actually making sense. As a human, no supernatural out there should fear her either and yet, they did. Because of _her_ name, _her_ lineage.

"I met Pierce _once_ , a long time ago," Lucian continued. "I didn't think he'd remember me, not many do, but obviously, _he_ did."

 _Not many remember him? I doubt that._

 _Stop it! You're mad at him! He lied to you!_

 _Did he? I mean, he told me his great aunt was a gypsy and I knew he was different the second I laid eyes on him in Maggie's shop. No ordinary man asks for The Gomorrah Codex._

 _Okay, so he didn't lie about himself per se. But he still played you. Ask him. Ask him the question you're afraid to ask._

"Do you know about _me_?" she whispered, obeying that voice. "Do you know who _I_ am?"

"Yes," he gnarled, holding her gaze. "You're Adrianna."

She felt that chill in her body warm up a little at the softness in his voice. She wanted so badly to believe that she was just Adrianna to him; a woman he met by chance.

But something told her that wasn't the case.

"Don't dodge," she said, pushing. She might not have _wanted_ to know the answer, but she _needed_ to know it nevertheless. "You know what I'm asking. Do you know _what_ I am?"

His jaw clutched again, those eyes betraying him even before he nodded.

"You knew all along." It wasn't a question.

Her mind trying to cope, she started walking again, feeling her stomach turn. She was actually feeling sick, nauseous. He knew she was The Crescător. He knew about her family. He knew.

"Adrianna!" he yelled behind her. "Can we just talk about this?"

"Talk?!" she yelled back without slowing down. "Okay, let's talk! Let's talk about the fact that you've been lying to me since day one!"

"I haven't been lying! It just never came up!"

"Never came up?!" she huffed over her shoulder. "That's what you're going with?!"

"It's the truth! We were working on capturing Rodchenko, a _human_! We never once handled anything supernatural!"

"When we met, you acted like you didn't know me!"

"You were there as a homicide detective, so I treated you as one! Besides, it's not like you ever brought it up yourself!"

"Oh, so now it's my fault ?!" she screamed, outraged.

"I didn't say that!" he tried to sooth. "I'm just pointing out that you yourself haven't exactly been the poster child for honesty!"

 _He has a point._

 _Don't listen to him,_ she thought, even though she could feel her anger diminishing. _Remember, people who know you're The Crescător will try to use you for their own personal gain. You know that. Your family warned you about that._

 _What gain? He has nothing to gain._

 _That you know off._

 _He's not a vampire. He can have children the old fashioned way. What would he want with me?_

 _A link to The Salvatores. He just said it himself; names hold power. Especially the Salvatore name. If there's one thing you know about this man, it's that he likes power, being in control._

"This was never about Rodchenko, was it?!" she croaked, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "You were never interested in helping me catch him!"

"That's not true! I want Rodchenko behind bars as much as you do!"

"Bullshit!" she hissed, speeding up. "You took advantage of the situation! You wanted me close so you could manipulate me into-"

Suddenly, he was in front of her again, now looking as pissed off as she was.

"I _wanted you close_?" he snarled, the veins in his neck throbbing. "I _wanted_ you close?! Have you missed the subtle ways in which I've been trying to get you out of my damned life?!"

She flinched at his harsh words, but he didn't stop, taking a step closer to her.

" _You_ were the one who showed up in my office to ask me about Frederik Gerard!" he barked. " _You_ were the one who insisted I stay at my house while you were there! _You_ were the one who came to the club today wearing that goddamned dress! Not me! Never me! You have _no idea_ how hard I've been trying to stay the hell away from you!"

"Because I'm a Salvatore?" she hissed, insulted. "Because I'm demon's spawn? Because I'm-"

"-Adrianna!" He screamed. "Because you're Adrianna!"

Shocked, she just stood there, watching him, trying to figure out what he'd meant by that. Was she really such a horrible person to be around? She knew they didn't see eye to eye most of the time, but to despise her _that_ much... She'd done nothing to deserve that.

"Well, after tonight, you'll get your wish!" she snapped, continuing her path back to the car. "You'll never have to see me again!"

"Ha!" he laughed coldly, walking beside her, matching her frantic pace. "That _was_ the plan, but just like every other plan I've had, you screwed that one up to!"

She shot him a glare, trying to shake him off, but he was just as fast as her, as fired up.

"No one is forcing you to be here, Nox!"

" _You_ are forcing me, Salvatore!"

"Me?! How am _I_ forcing you?!"

She almost bumped into his hard chest when he moved back in front of her, cutting off her path.

" _How_?!" he snarled, his eyes spitting fire. "By not telling your fucking brothers about Rodchenko, that's how!"

"So?! Why do _you_ care!"

"I care because as long as _you_ keep going after Rodchenko, _he's_ going to keep coming after _you_ and yet, you refuse to ask for help or even tell anyone what's going on, so I have _no choice_ but to stay with you! You're going to get yourself killed otherwise!"

"Oh, so, now it _**IS**_ about protecting me?!"

"It's _**ALWAYS**_ been about protecting you!"

The moment the words were out of his mouth, the anger drained from his face; his dark, widening eyes falling away from hers as he took a step back, running a hand through his raven hair.

Adrianna could feel the anger leave _her_ body too; confusion and something warm taking its place as she stared at the man in front of her, trying to let his words sink in, have them make sense. When she'd seen her fixed up apartment earlier, she'd had a feeling he'd had the work done so she would be safe...but she'd just thought this had been a recent thing; that he'd started to care for her after spending time with her, at least enough to care whether she lived or died. She'd never dared dream _everything_ he'd done since they'd met had been about protecting her... Suddenly, every second they spend together, everything he'd ever said or done replayed in her mind; seeing it all through new eyes: Blackmailing her into going with him after Rodchenko's sniper had almost put a bullet between her eyes; keeping her all but locked up inside his home with a guard at every exit; insiting she only travelled in his bulletproof town car; sending her home with her brothers even though she'd wanted to stay... He'd known Killian and Asher were vampires, that they could keep her safe from Rodchenko better than _he_ could. It had all been for her own good. Not because she was bait as he'd wanted her to believe for some reason, but to protect her. Why hadn't he just told her that? Why had he acted liked this cold, distant bastard?

"Lucian-"

His eyes snapped back to hers when she spoke his name and she drowned instantly. He looked so...lost. And tired. As if he was losing a battle inside he'd been waging for too long.

 _You were going to say something,_ a voice whispered in her mind, trying to pull her back to shore, to reality.

It didn't work.

Even though she now knew he'd kept things from her; even though he'd known who she was all along...nothing had changed. If anything, it had intensified whatever it was that she felt for him. He'd known from day one that she was The Crescător and yet, instead of trying to lure her in; instead of trying to seduce her with meaningless words and gestures as others had tried, he'd treated her the way he treated everyone. Badly. But still, it was a new experience. One she didn't want to end.

"You have no idea-" Lucian started, his voice so soft it barely carried on the night air.

 _I have no idea about what?_ she thought when he didn't continue, trying to calm her body down as he took a step closer to her. She wanted to ask the question out loud, but when his eyes got that tortured look in them again-that same look she'd seen in his library-she forgot how to form words. She could feel her body surrender when his gaze dipped to her lips, a calm descending on her mind she only felt when he was around. He soothed her, even though her heart raced _every second_ she was near him. It wasn't a physical calm, it was an inner one, as if being around him somehow made every worry and fear she'd ever had vanish into nothing.

"Adrianna," he growled, slowly reaching out for her. "I-"

She waited breathlessly for his touch, for whatever he was about to say...but then, she could see that cold mask slip back into place, his darkening eyes hurling over her shoulder. For a moment, she wasn't sure what had happened, what had ruined the moment...and then, she heard a deep voice say behind her,

"You got a light?"

She could tell by Lucian's expression that whoever had spoken was bad news. Not to mention that, now that she could focus on something besides Lucian's eyes again, she could make out about eight different sets of footsteps. Last time she checked, you didn't need to be in a group to ask for a light.

When she turned and took in the scene before her, she almost let out an annoyed groan.

 _Oh, come on!_ _Seriously?! Can't I just catch a break?! One break!_

Nine men stood before them, each one uglier than the next. They all wore dark clothes, no doubt to blend in with the darkness if necessary, for example if the cops came around...and the ugly fuck carrying a baseball bat gave her the impression that they were no strangers to police. For a short moment, she wondered if maybe Victor Pierce had send these men after them, but she dismissed that idea pretty quickly. Victor wouldn't be dumb enough to make a move like this, out in the open. Not to mention he would've used his Forsaken and these morons were clearly human criminals. Their dirty appearances alone made that blatantly obvious.

 _See, this is why I never go out!_ she thought, sighing. _Nothing in my life can ever be normal! Not even a night out._

"You're not after a light," Lucian finally answered the man who'd spoken, pointing out the obvious.

They all laughed and Lucian used their moment of distraction to gently grab her arm and guide her behind him. She let him, not wanting to draw the men's attention back yet, but there was no way in hell she was letting him fight alone.

"He's not as dumb as he looks," the biggest one said, mocking Lucian. Adrianna stretched her fingers and then curled them into fists, trying to focalize her rage in her hands. This _could_ still be solved by communicating...although she doubted it. She knew body language and these men were ready for a fight. Itching for one, even. Their eyes were focused on them, an amused grin on their faces. She took her time assessing each and every one of them, processing the information they unintentionally gave her. With one glance, she could tell which ones would go down easily and which ones would be trouble. When she was done, Adrianna kept her eyes on the unmistakable leader of the pack, ready for whenever he decided to stop playing this game.

"If you're after money, notice the lack of a purse," Adrianna tried, even though she could tell that's not what they wanted. Robbers were quicker, to the point. They wouldn't linger like this; they wouldn't play with their victims. "And I don't wear jewelry."

The leader's grin grew, his disgusting eyes watching her with an interest they hadn't held when he'd been focused on Lucian. "Don't worry, sweetheart," he said in a thick voice. "I'm sure you'll find another way to please us."

Lucian's back arched, his hands balling by his strong thighs. She could see him lose control, but before she could calm him down, the men decided to give up their facade as well. They moved as one, like a wave coming towards them. Lucian shot a dark look over his shoulder, a look that was meant to communicate she should run. She just shook her head, making it clear that would never happen, and then stood beside him, quickly kicking off her heels. When she noticed the leader's attention was focused on Lucian, she hurriedly whispered, "He favors his right side. He has a bad left knee."

She could only pray he'd heard, because before she could make sure, the men reached them.

The idiot with the bat was the first to take a shot at her, his relentless smile betraying he had no idea what he was up against. He thought he'd chosen wisely, going for the woman instead of the broad man accompanying her. It didn't take long for him to realize his mistake. As soon as he was within her reach, Adrianna dug her fingers into the bicep of the swinging arm and ripped at the muscle, while hitting the forearm on the same side. It was the first thing her father had taught her: first, attack the limb that attacks you. And it worked. The bat fell to the ground immediately, the only sound louder than the wood hitting the pavement being the man's scream. But despite his pain, he didn't give up, forcing her to press her advantage decisively. Striking his neck next, she dug her fingers in the trunk of muscle, grabbing his windpipe. Elijah's technique called for her to pull it straight out, lacerating her attacker's throat and killing him. But there were other options. Non-lethal ones which she preferred. Pushing rather than pulling, she momentarily closed the windpipe against itself, cutting off his air. He dropped at her feet, gasping and something told her that, even if he recovered before the fight was over, he wouldn't get involved again.

Stepping over him, she shot a quick glance to Lucian and realized she hadn't been the only one holding back on the beach. Each move he made rolled naturally into the next, his attacker's body jerking from one direction to the other. To an outside observer, it would appear to be one simultaneous tornado of movement, of blinding speed, a blur too fast for the eye to follow, but she saw the technique and realized she didn't have to worry about him.

The second guy came at her fast with a looping swing at her head. He was clearly angry and she could practically hear her mother's voice in her ear, an echo of her training; _Don't ever fight angry. That's not what fighting is about. It's about survival. Be angry later._

No one had told this moron that.

She ducked his fist easily and took his knee out with her foot a second later. She heard it pop before he screamed and went down in a heap. He still somehow managed to roll over and reach for her leg, but she kicked his hand away, got down on one knee, slammed her fist into his ugly face and watched his lights go out.

She heard the next man before she saw him and he managed to land a well-aimed punch to her kidneys because of it. She took the blow as her gaze fell on the next man running over. She spotted something glistening in his hand and held back a groan. There was always one asshole with a knife.  
Thinking it best to take on the man with the knife one on one, she quickly got rid of her current attacker. Not wasting any time, she hit him in the V under his ribs where the sternum ended, paralyzing his diaphragm. He gasped, doubled over and then pitched forward into the dirt.

 _Has no one trained these idiots?_

She could actually see the man with the knife hesitating for just a split second, his eyes dropping to check on his friend with equal measures of fury and terror, rethinking his choice of victim...but if he thought he would go anywhere near Lucian with that knife, he had another thing coming. In the end, he decided to take a crack at her after all, no doubt driven by a false sense of superiority because of the blade in his hand. She almost laughed when he stood before her, holding the knife loosely in his right hand between his thumb and index finger about waist height. He was going to go for her low, with a slicing motion. Classic amateur mistake. A professional holds a knife in a tight fist and goes straight for the eyes.

When he swung, he clearly expected her to jump back, but instead, she leaped inside the swing, hooked her left arm over his right, grabbed his throat with her right hand, and drove her right knee into his stomach. When she let him go, he fell to his knees, leaned forward with a shocked expression, vomited, and then passed out.  
She considered grabbing the knife and using it for her own protection, but her experience with knives told her they were a disadvantage in a proper fight...

...and she was about to have a _proper_ fight.

The next man in line to take her down was someone who would give her a run for her money. He had the hands and posture of a boxer and not the kind you found in a ring; the many scars on his hands gave that away. He fought bare-knuckled and from the looks of his face, he wasn't afraid to get messed up. She counted at least three different-badly healed-fractures in his nose alone and from certain angles, his jaw didn't exactly look natural either.  
He approached slowly, watching her, doing what she'd done with them. He was sizing her up, looking for weaknesses and even though she'd been taught to have none, she still felt her heart race a little faster.

When he finally lunged at her, she dodged to the side and delivered a sharp kick to his knee. He grunted and fell against the brick wall...but instead of getting angry, his expression changed from loathing to amusement. She knew then that she was in even more trouble than she'd thought. This sadist was fueled by pain.

As he came for her again, the wind echoed annoyingly in her ear, not helping the situation at all.

Widening her stance, she reminded herself she was a goddamned Salvatore and braced for his attack. He was fast. Faster than a man like him should be. It made no sense for all that muscle to move as fluidly and gracefully as it did, but he was living proof that you should never judge a book by its cover. He kept her on her toes, swinging from every angle...but she wasn't a novice at this either. She'd practices with men and women much faster and stronger than him; vampires with reflexes he could never match. But that didn't change the fact that he was a challenge. It took her a while before he finally gave her an opening, before she was finally able to land a punch. And she didn't hesitate for a moment. She had once timed herself at six strikes per second, and if anything, at that moment, she broke her record. A double palm heel blow to both ears, a hit to the throat, stepping under and inside his flailing arms to shoot an elbow upward into his abdomen; rolling into a hit to the balls; and an elbow to the underside of his chin; followed by a palm heel onto the bridge of his nose. He was no doubt in agony at this point...but it didn't stop him. It _did_ however, slow down his reflexes. When he aimed his fist at her jaw, she had plenty of time to lean away from him, his knuckles swooshing past her skin. Not missing a beat, she smashed an elbow into the side of his skull; into the soft spot high on the temple. He stumbled back then, blood rushing from his nose and mouth. Any normal man would've been out cold by now, but this guy only seemed to get stronger with each hit. It was only then that she noticed his pupils. They were dilated...a lot.

 _He's on drugs._ A lot _of drugs._

That explained how he was still standing, glaring at her with an enraged look in his eyes. He didn't like being bested...and something told her it hurt a man like him even more that he was being bested by a barefooted woman in a red sundress. This time when he lunged, he let out a primal scream, a pointless show of force, one that made it even easier to determine what his next move was...if one is not distracted.

And, unfortunately, she _was_ distracted.

Behind the man storming towards her, Lucian was fighting with another one of those animals and fighting well...but he didn't seem aware of the fact that a second creeper was coming up behind him, clutching the knife she'd dismissed earlier.

 _No._

"Lucian!" she screamed, his dark eyes immediately finding hers. "Behind-"

The last thing she saw, before she was thrown to the ground, was Lucian turning to face the knifeman.

His hands felt like ice as they closed in a viselike grip around her neck. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she'd been trained for this, that there was a way out...but for the first time in her life, she was ruled by panic. Her legs started kicking even though she knew it wouldn't get her far. He was straddling her hips, his thighs crushing her, keeping her immobilized from the waist down. She tried to force his fingers away from her neck, digging her nails into his hands, but his grip was unyielding. The ache in her chest grew worse with every passing second as she writhed under his grasp. She had to breathe. Her lungs began burning from the lack of air, her mind slowing down. Becoming more and more frantic, she reached for his face, feeling her nails tare into his skin...and yet, his grip didn't loosen even a bit. Slowly the world started to spin, to fade, as each sound grew dull. She felt her arms go limp, crashing to the ground as a world of black washed over her, pulled her down. She was drifting into oblivion, seeing the faces of those she loved; her parents, her brothers, Maggie...and then, out of nowhere, there was Lucian. His sculpted face, his rare smile, those penetrating eyes. If she was dying, it was a strange relief to find him there, to have him with her when-

Air rushed back into her lunges, returning her to that alley. Coughing in fits, she rolled onto her side, trying to catch her breath again, waiting for the pain in her chest to become bearable. After a few seconds, her mind started to catch up to reality, remembering why her throat hurt, how she'd gotten on the ground. The only thing she didn't understand was how she was still alive. At least, not until her eyes focused again and she saw Lucian, crouching over the man who'd almost choked her, his fists slamming into the bastard's face over and over again, a frantic look in his eyes.

"Lucian," she croaked.

Her voice was so weak it barely made it passed her aching throat. There was no way he could hear her over his rage, over the sound of knuckles hitting bone.

Pushing back the pain, Adrianna scrambled up, swaying on her feet for a moment before she regained her balance and rushed over to him.

"Lucian," she said louder. "Stop."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Lucian was just out of control. He was pummeling her assailant mercilessly, growl after growl slipping from his lips.

Moving behind him, she grabbed a handful of his shirt, tugging, but it was pointless. He was too lost in his rage, unaware of anything but the man underneath his fists.

 _He's going to kill him._

"Lucian!"

Her windpipe screamed out from the strain she was putting on it, but she _had_ to stop him. Not that she cared one bit for the man Lucian was destroying. It was Lucian himself that she worried about. Taking a life was a burden she didn't want on his soul.

Her heart thundering, she fell to her knees beside Lucian, once again screaming his name. But he didn't even see her, his bloody fist making something else on his victim's face crack.

 _Stop him! Now!_

Desperate, she waited for him to pull his unyielding fist back again...and then let her own hand shoot out, stopping his hand mid-air. The man underneath him gurgled gratefully, but Adrianna wasn't focused on that. She kept her attention on Lucian, letting out a little gasp when his eyes finally touched hers again. They were no longer the warm, mesmerizing eyes she knew. His charcoal eyes were ice-cold now, void of any warmth or even humanity. He was lost. And it was her fault.

"Lucian, don't," she whispered, trying to reach his common sense. "You're going to kill him."

That prospect didn't stop him.

It spurred him on.

His lips curling into an animalistic smile, he pulled his fist from her grip, preparing to crash it back into his victim...

 _No._

Out of ideas, her hands moved on instinct and flew up, cupping his face.

And it worked.

His fist stopped an inch from the man's broken face, his eyes flying back to hers. There were so many emotions swirling in those grey depths, the intensity of it trapping her breath…

"Get up," she begged, casting him a desperate look. "Please."

There was a long moment of silence in which things could go either way...and then, she saw the muscles in his legs tense, preparing to rise. Letting out a sigh of relief, she rose with him, fully aware of the fact that they weren't out of the woods yet. She could see he was one push away from finishing what he'd started, from destroying the already maimed man at their feet. She could practically see his rage blazing in his blood, setting him on fire.

"It's okay, Lucian," she whispered, trying to sooth him. "He's not worth it."

His furious eyes snapped down, to her neck, his hands balling into even tighter fists. She could see blood trickling down from his knuckles onto the ground, not sure who's blood it was.

"We should get off the street," she said when she heard people pass by the alley. "Someone has to have heard this. The police are probably on their way already. They can't find us here. Considering the state these bastards are in, they'll have a hard time believing _we_ were the ones attacked."

Lucian didn't respond. He just stood, frozen, his eyes now on his hands.

 _Worry about him later. Right now, find a way out of here._

Her mind racing, she ran her gaze over the dark alley, trying to recognize where she was. She'd been so ticked off when they'd left the bar that she'd just started walking without an actual purpose, something she regretted now. She had no idea where she'd led them.

 _Just start moving. You need to get away from this place first. Make the rest up as you go._

Grabbing her shoes and his jacket from the ground-it didn't seem like a good idea to leave them at the scene of an assault- she took his arm and carefully tugged him with her, further down the alley, trying to spot _anything_ familiar as she pushed back the growing worry in her chest. Lucian was too quiet, too numb. He just went along with her, no objections, no suggestions. That wasn't like him. At all.

Biting her lips, she turned a corner, her heart dropping when it lead to a crowded main road. A road she now recognized.

 _His club,_ she mentally cried out, cursing herself for not recognizing the building she was now leaning against. She'd been here so many times before, just never from the back. _These people can't see him like this. His staff can't see him like this. Where do I-_

Her thoughts trailed off on a gasp when she was suddenly yanked back into the alley.

"Lucian?" she grumbled, almost tripping over her bare feet as she tried to keep up with his maddening pace. "Where are you goi-"

Her question got drowned out by the loud clatter of an iron door being kicked in. By Lucian.

Her eyes wide, he pulled her through the door that was clearly marked as an exit, into the building beside his club.

"Lucian, can you talk to me?" she whispered as he dragged her through something that looked like a laundry room. "I don't think we should be here."

He didn't answer her. He just kept pulling her along, never once looking back at her.

"Lucian-"

He slammed open another door and Adrianna had to catch her breath for a moment. Suddenly, they were in a huge hotel lobby. An _expensive_ hotel, from the looks of it. Everything was red and gold, chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings, their light reflecting in the smooth, gold reception desk. But even though they were now in public, Lucian didn't slow down. He made a beeline to the elevators at the other end of the lobby...and no one tried to stop him. Every receptionist, every bellhop just glanced their way with wide eyes and then went on with their merry day. For all they knew, she was being kidnapped! It sure as hell looked like it! She was wounded, being manhandled, tripping over her own feet, for God's sake! And yet, no one lifted a finger!

When they reached the elevators, he dragged her to the only black one in the line of silver, shoving his thumb against the button with so much force she was sure the thing would break. Luckily, it didn't and two second later, the doors slid open.

"Lucian, what are you doing?" she whispered, her eyes darting around the reception in a panic. They weren't supposed to be there and if he continued to behave like a madman, someone was going to call security or worse, the police. She didn't want her colleagues finding her in a hotel with Lucian. She'd never hear the end of it. Not to mention they were both clearly injured and, colleagues or not, they would have to investigate what had happened to them. It wouldn't take them long to connect them to that alley, to the man Lucian had nearly beat to death. He'd gone way passed self-defense and knowing the law, Lucian would be arrested. She couldn't let that happen.

The elevator doors slowly slit closed...and all of a sudden, the panic she'd felt a moment earlier vanished...and all she was aware of was _him_. She'd never been in a confined space with him like this; close, his hand clutching her arm, his smell slowly creeping into her pores.

She shifted from one foot to another, trying to rub her thighs together in the hope it would somehow stop that warm feeling that was spreading from between her legs to every cell in her body.

It didn't work. If anything, it made things worse. The second she'd moved, his grip on her arm had tightened...and for some reason, that made her breathing falter. There was something about the fact that he was stronger than her; that he could overpower her, that made her knees wobble. That had never happened before and it's not like she'd never met other strong men, or vampires, to be precise. Yet, not one of them had ever triggered such a bodily response. That was the whole reason she was still a virgin. She'd never understood when women had claimed that they couldn't help themselves when they were around a certain man...but she understood now. Every cell in her body was aware of the fact that he was right there; her mind going to places it had never gone before. She could practically feel him pinning her against the wall, his lips on her skin, his hands between her-

A high-pitched ding snapped her out of her fantasy and the moment the doors opened, she was being dragged again, even rougher this time. His hand had wrapped even tighter around her arm, his body looking even tenser. She was so taken aback by his demeanor, that she hadn't even realized the elevator had opened up into a penthouse until he let go of her arm and she suddenly found herself standing in the middle of a sleek, modern living room.

 _Holy crap,_ she thought, slowly walking towards the giant floor-to-ceiling windows. The skyline outside glistened in the moonlight, the first drops of rain falling from the sky. _What is this plac-_

Lucian came storming back from the other side of the open space, slamming a first aid kit down on the stone coffee table so hard that she jumped.

 _What is wrong with him?_

She swallowed hard, rubbing her aching temples as she glanced at the elevator they'd come out of. There was no other entrance, no door. Just that elevator. She'd never been in a place that had a private elevator.

"I won't harm you."

She almost jumped when he finally spoke again, his former deep, warm voice now cold and hard. It took her a long moment before she understood why he'd felt the need to tell her she was safe. But then, she realized he'd thought she'd been looking for an exit...to get away from him.

 _He thinks I'm afraid of him,_ she realized, her heart breaking. _He thinks he scared me in that alley._

"I know you won't harm me," she whispered, intending to reassure him...but instead making him tense even more.

 _Why is he so angry?_

She could've asked him, but she wasn't in the mood to fight. She was tired and the adrenaline was wearing off. She could feel her muscles finally catching up to the strain she'd put on them, her throat throbbing painfully. If that asshole had had an ounce more strength in his hands, he could've snapped her neck.

"Are you in pain?"

She hadn't even realized she'd been rubbing her neck until she noticed him watching her fingers.

"It's just a little soar," she lied. "Nothing an aspirin can't fix."

He fell silent again, his entire body on edge as he impatiently dumped the contents of the first aid kit onto the table. When he pulled a bandage from the mess and started to fumble with it; trying to wrap it around his still bleeding hands, she sighed, speed walking to his open kitchen.

She felt his eyes follow her, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as she grabbed his silver fruit bowl, dumping the few pieces of untouched fruit in his sink before filling the bowl with room temperature water and grabbing a clean, soft towel from a drawer.

"Sit down," she ordered as she made her way back to him.

He paid no attention to her, continuing to try and tighten the bandage around his knuckles all by himself.

"Look," she sighed, putting the water and towel down on the table. "You can ignore me all you want, but you're only hurting yourself here. If you don't clean those wounds properly, they can infect."

His eyes finally touched hers again…and she almost wished they hadn't. They were so hard, so furious…and yet, there was something else underneath it all. Something that made her reach out for his hands despite his obvious aversion to her help.

However, the second her fingers brushed his skin, he pulled his hands away from her touch, as if she burned him.

Huffing, she felt something in her chest clench and suddenly, she realized his attitude towards her wasn't just pissing her off...it was _hurting_ her.

"Okay," she snapped, confused. "Fine. I get the message."

Ignoring the ache in her stomach, she turned away from him, stalking back to the elevator, her blood boiling. Why did she keep putting herself through this? All Lucian Nox ever did was push her away. Even when it looked like he wanted her, he immediately followed that up with bullshit like this. She had to stop this, she had to regain control before all was lost.

"Salvatore, wait!" he suddenly barked behind her...and she could feel her feet actually hesitating to continue her path. Her body kept betraying her around him, doing and feeling things her mind warned her against.

"Salvatore, where are you going?!"

"Home!"

"You can't!"

"And why is that?!"

"Because those fucks weren't after money!"

"So?!"

" _So_ , they sought us out! They targeted us! And you and I both know who put that target on our backs!"

She shoved her thumb against the call button, keeping her eyes on the metal doors, ignoring the reflection of the man coming up behind her.

"Rodchenko won't stop, Adrianna!" he stated the obvious. "You can't be alone-"

"I _won't_ be alone. My brothers are at my place-"

"-oblivious to the danger you're in!"

The elevator doors slid open and Adrianna shot inside, almost breaking the button to the reception as she slammed her fist against it. This time, _she_ was the one who avoided eye contact. She didn't want to see those doors close on him... Despite her rage, she could still feel him, crawling under her skin and even though she knew she was right to leave, a part of her wanted to stay, desperately.

The further the elevator closed, the more her body screamed out...and then, suddenly, a big, bleeding hand shot between the doors and forced them back open. Wide-eyed, Adrianna glared at him, her body tightening as his furious face came into view again.

"Let go of the door, Lucian," she snapped.

He didn't move. He just glared at her, his simmering eyes making her knees tremble.

"Let go of the door, Lucian!" she hissed again, punctuating every word.

Again, he just stood there, watching her, making her melt more and more with every passing second. If he looked at her like that much longer...

"Lucian, let go of the door or I swear to God-"

"Rodchenko won't like what happened tonight! He's not done!" he barked, his fingers tightening on the silver door. "You can't be alone!"

"I told you, I won't be alone! Besides, you had those workers make my apartment into the safest place in the city-"

"And how are you going to get there?! Are you going to steal another motorcycle?!"

"If I have to," she spit out, stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest. "I got along just fine before you and your private chauffeur showed up, you know!"

"You can't drive in the state you're in! You're injured!"

"I'm fine! And even if I wasn't, It's not your concern!"

" _Not my concern_?!" he hissed.

 _"_ Yes, not your concern?!" she shouted, her eyes spitting fire. "You've know me for what?! A month?! And for the most part of that time, you've been nothing but a complete and utter bastard to me!"

"You think I wouldn't care if you got hurt?!" he spit out, the elevator creaking underneath his tightening fingers. "What kind of a man do you think I am?"

She swallowed hard, her heart aching at the tortured look in his blazing eyes. "I don't _know_ what kind of a man you are! I don't know _who_ you are! One moment, you're a cold asshole and the next, you're _this!_ " she screamed, waving her hand at him. "I honestly don't understand you!"

His jaw set even more, the veins in his neck throbbing dangerously. "You don't _have to_ understand me! All you have to do, is get out of this fucking elevator!"

"Just let go of the door, Lucian!"

"You can get out yourself-" he snarled, ignoring her plea. "-or I can drag you out over my shoulder."

She glared at him, planting her feet even firmer on the ground. "You can try, but you've seen what I can do! I would be careful if I was _hey_!" Fuming, she slapped his back as he _actually_ had the audacity to throw her over his shoulder and carry her back into the loft.

"Put me down! You have no right to do this! This is assault! I'm a cop! I could arrest you for _umph_." When she hit the sofa, she shot him the most disgusted look she could muster up...but he wasn't even looking at her.

Scrambling up, she moved for the elevators again, but she'd barely taken one step or he'd grabbed her arm and shoved her back down on the couch.

"Seriously?!" she gnarled. "Look I get that you're mad at me for what happened tonight-" His eyes shot back to hers angrily. "-but you have no right-"

"You think I blame you for what happened?" he snarled, towering over her.

"Don't even try to deny it! It's obvious!"

"I don't blame you!" he barked.

"Oh, come on!" she huffed. "You can say that, but you've been like this since the fight, so you _clearly_ blame-"

"-Rodchenko! I blame Rodchenko!"

"You blame _me_!"

"No, I don't, Salvatore!'

"Oh, please! You're screaming at me; looking at me like you want to _kill_ me! Why else would you suddenly behave this way other than because-"

"-you saw me!" he shouted, that torment back in his charcoal gaze. "Because you saw me!"

Her eyes melted on his as she somehow understood exactly what he'd meant. She'd gone through the same thing with Killian, the first time he'd brought in a Forsaken. The rogue vampire had put up a fight and her brother had been forced to resort to violence. A lot of it. When he got home, he didn't speak for two days and he constantly had that look in his eyes; that same look Lucian had now. That tortured, self-loathing look.

Feeling her anger melt into something warmer that enveloped her heart, she stood up beside him, whispering "Lucian, the only thing I saw tonight was a man saving my life-"

"What you saw was _evil,_ " he gnarled, his injured hands tightening on his thighs. "You weren't supposed to see me like that. Not you. Not ever."

"Lucian-"

"You were right," he cut her off, looking away from her again. "You _should_ go."

She wasn't sure _why_ her stomach was suddenly turning. Was this not what she wanted only minutes ago?

"Mike will pick you up downstairs," he continued in that hard voice. "He'll drive you to your apartment. I'll send a handful of my guards to your building, make sure you're safe."

"But-"

"This was a bad idea from the start," he broke off her objections. "You and me can never-" He trailed off, the grey clouds outside the window rumbling in the sky. "Just go. Everything you need is still at your disposal. My contacts, my guards, my driver-"

"But not you?"

She could see him tense, but his eyes remained on the sparkling skyline. He was determined. He really _did_ want her to go.

 _Maybe you should listen,_ a little voice whispered in her head. _This thing with Lucian-whatever it is- is getting out of hand. You're getting too close._ He _is getting too close. Go back to your life. Forget about him. In a few months, you'll be a vampire and you'll have to leave anyway. Better to cut all ties now than letting this continue and develop into something more..._

"Why are you still here, detective," he rumbled again. "Go!"

This time, she listened, ignoring that returning pain in her chest. She knew this was the right thing to do. She had no business being in his life. His world was so different from hers...

When she slipped into the elevator again and pushed the button back to the lobby, she actually felt nauseous, as if her body was protesting her decision. She could hear the clouds outside burst, see rain slamming against Lucian's giant floor-to-ceiling windows...and Lucian, sinking down on his sofa, burying his face in his hands. Could she really do this? Could she really leave him like this, hurt and hating himself? The doors slid closed and Adrianna made a decision she knew she could never come back from...

* * *

 _It's for the best._

 _You have to let her go._

Hades growled at that voice in his head, his fingers digging deeper into his face as he heard the elevator close behind him, moving down, taking her away from him. Was this how he was going to feel for all eternity without her? Like he couldn't breath? Like his heart would break out of his chest at any moment?

Swallowing hard, he dropped his hands and stared at them, watching the blood glisten on his skin. It wasn't all his blood. Most of it was that human's. His chest fell and rose faster as the rage inside built again. He'd never felt like he'd felt in that alley, so out of control, so…dark; and he was the fucking God Of The Underworld. The second he'd seen that human straddle Adrianna, his hands around her fragile neck, he'd seen red. He'd tried to get to her faster, but that idiot with his knife had turned out to be tougher than he'd looked and by the time he could get to his girl, she'd already stopped moving. That image of her, lying there, motionless… He'd thought she was dead. He'd thought he'd lost her. He didn't even remember what had happened after that. He'd just...snapped.

The next thing he knew, his Adrianna was kneeling down in front of him, alive and well, trying to save his soul. If only she knew he had no soul, that everything good she saw in him was bound to her.

Lighting flashed through the sky as Hades started to wrap a bandage around his hand, silently cursing Zeus and Poseidon. Without their interference, Adrianna would've never seen his true nature, the monster within. That moment would be all she would remember of him now, that darkness. Even if they would meet in their dreams again, she would never look at him the same way again. She would never-

"I told you to clean the wounds first."

His blood igniting, Hades looked up from his knuckles, finding Adrianna standing there, a soft look on her beautiful face. Speechless, he gazed into her baby blue eyes, convinced that she was a figment of his imagination. She couldn't actually be there. _Why_ would she possibly still be there?

She sank down on the couch beside him and he just watched her, the confusion written all over his face. She'd seen who he really was; what he really was...and she was still there?

"Adrianna-"

Her tiny fingers wrapped around his aching hand, bringing it closer to her and he forgot what he was going to say. No one could be this kind, right? This forgiving?

"You shouldn't be here, Adrianna," he rumbled, feeling his control slip with every passing second.

She ignored him, grabbing a pair of tweezers from between the mess on his table.

"Adrianna," he pressed. "You should go home."

She remained silent as she pulled tiny pieces of filth from his wounds. He knew he should be in pain, but in that moment, he felt nothing but a comforting warmt spreading out inside of him, touching every corner of his being. No one had ever taken care of him like this; he'd never wanted anyone to...until now. Having her look after him, having her care enough to tend to his injuries, filled him with an undescribable feeling of belonging.

She laid the tweezers on her lap without a word, pulling the towel out of the bowl of water, wringing it out before softly running it over his hand, wiping away the blood and dirt.

 _You're fucked, you realize that, right?_ the demon in him laughed as he watched her carefully wrap a bandage around his cleaned knuckles. _If this didn't push her away, nothing will._ _She's seen the worst of you and she's still here. That can only mean you got to her, somewhere along the way. She cares about you. Why not just give into it? Be with her. You can keep looking for a way to keep her safe, but at least this way, if you_ can't _find the key to The Gomorrah Codex, if you_ can't _translate that damned text and hide her from your brothers, you can still go to Plan B._

 _You mean, the plan where I trick her into doing the ritual with me before I leave her, human, heart broken and unable to ever start a family with any other man? No. Never._

 _Fine, then don't do promise her anything, but just...be with her. You want her. Take her._

 _I can't._

 _Why not?_

 _Because right now, she might care for me, but she doesn't know she loves me. Not yet. If I keep her at a distance, she'll never let herself fall for me completely, she'll never feel the way I will feel when I inevitably have to leave her. Broken. Ruined._

"Are you listening to me, Adrianna?" he snapped, trying to sound threatening as she bandaged up his second hand. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from me."

Finally, she awknowledged his warning, sniffing as she dropped the bloody cloth back in the bowl of water. "I'm not scared of you, Lucian."

"You should be."

Her eyes touched his again, that damned kindness still there. "Why? Because you're a monster?"

"Yes."

She shook her head, stopping his heart when her tiny hand reached out for him, her thumb finding a cut in his eyebrow. "I don't think that needs stitches. I should disinfect it, though. Just to be-"

He grabbed her wrist as she reached for the pile of cotton swaps, stopping her hand mid air.

"I'm serious, Adrianna," he barked.

"I know, but I'm not going anywhere, Lucian," she said, casting him one of her soft smiles. "Can I have my wrist back now?"

He blinked wildly, unwrapping his fingers from her skin with a shocked expression. Grown men had run from him; Victor Pierce had been terrified of just the vague memory of him and yet, this slender woman sat beside him as if he was just a normal man, in need of help, unafraid.

"I _wanted_ to kill that fucker, Adrianna," he gnarled, trying to make her understand. "I _still_ want to. If I think about what he did, what he'd almost done-" His eyes dropped to the darkening bruises on her neck. He could see exactly where that fucker had tried to squeeze the life from her, could make out each of his strong fingers .

"You were angry. You lost control."

"Yes," he fumed.

"That doesn't make you a monster, Lucian," she whispered, the light from another bold of lightening casting a yellow glow on her cheeks. "That mades you human."

He got up, rumbling as he towered over her, "What is wrong with you, woman? You should run from me."

She rose, too, cocking an eyebrow as she said, "I'm a Salvatore, Lucian. Salvatores don't run."

He sniffed, wishing he could point out that her mother had spend six hundred years on the run from Niklaus as a vampire and her father had spend months on the run with Elena after she'd become a human, hiding from the same Original... But he couldn't say any of that, not without raising a whole range of questions he couldn't answer. She assumed he was a gypsy and he intended to keep it that way. She couldn't know _who_ and _what_ he truly was. That would only put her life in even more danger.

"What were you going to say?" She suddenly asked in a soft voice. "Before those men interrupted us in that alley. You were going to say something. What was it?"

 _I love you._

"I don't remember," he lied, his voice deep and raw.

"I think you do."

Hades bit the inside of his jaw, hating that feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him she knew. Deep down, she knew what he was going to say...

"Look," he growled. "If you're so damned determined on staying here, you can stay, alright? There's a guest bedroom up the stairs, second door to your right. Goodnight, detective."

His body screaming at him, he turned away from her, heading for the stairs.

"Thank you."

"It's not like you really gave me a choice," he snarled without slowing down. "You refuse to leave, so-"

"Not for the room. For the alley."

His feet halted. Now she was _thanking_ him?!

"You saved my life," she added on a whisper. "Thank you."

Hades pressed his eyes shut against her sweet words. "Don't thank me."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" he gnarled. "Because you had the upper hand in that fight until you lost focus to warn me."

She sighed behind him. "You're going to hate yourself for that too now?"

"Just go to bed, detective," he rumbled, continuing his path to the stairs.

" _I_ made that decision, Lucian!" she yelled after him. "And I would make it again!"

He froze, his mind screaming at his body to get him the hell out of there...but his body didn't obey.

" _You'd make it again_?!" he fumed, shooting her a glare over his shoulder. "Are you out of your mind, Salvatore?! You almost died!"

"If I hadn't called out to you, he would've stabbed you!" she shot back, her voice trembling. "I couldn't let that happen!"

"Yes, you could've!" he gnarled, turning on his heels, shooting her the most vicious glare he could muster up. "But just because you swore some ridiculous oath to protect and serve-"

"No!" she cut him off, unimpressed by his threatening demeanor. "It has nothing to do with being a cop!"

"Then why would you do something so unequivocally stupid, Salvatore?!"

"Because I didn't want to watch you die!"

"So instead, you made _me_ watch _you_ die?!

"That wasn't the plan!"

" _Nothing_ that's happening is part of the goddamned plan!" he barked, thunder booming throught the giant penthouse. "Do you think I planned _this_?! Do you think I _enjoy_ screaming at you in the middle of the night?!"

"Then don't scream at me!"

"I _have_ to scream at you, because you won't listen, Adrianna!"

"Listen to _what_?!"

"To me telling you that you should run the other way!"

"I told you, I don't run!" she screamed back. "Not from anyone or anything and certainly not from you!"

"Than you're a goddamned fool!"

"Maybe, but I'd rather be a fool than a coward!"

Hades felt his next growl before it slipped from his lips, taking a threatening step forward. "I am _not_ a coward!"

"Aren't you?!"

"I was right by your side tonight, Salvatore! Or did you miss that?! I didn't run either!"

"What about in your library?!" she asked, her voice suddenly less hard. "Or right now?! Tell me this isn't you running!"

He clenched his mangled fists, adrenaline and desire coursing through his veins as he glared at her. "What do you want from me, Adrianna?!"

She sighed, shrugging her tiny shoulders. "I don't know! But I know I don't want you to leave! And I know you don't want to leave, either! Do you?!"

He sniffed, trying desperately to ignore how soft and sweet her eyes had turned once again. "I told you before; it doesn't matter what I want."

She frowned, running a hand through her curls. "I feel like I'm going crazy here, Lucian. My entire life I've been focused on three things; my job, my family and my future. Nothing else ever mattered. And then I meet you and now-" she trailed off, softly shaking her head as she stared out into space. "I've been suspended for weeks and I don't even miss it. My brothers are in town and I'd rather stay here, getting yelled at by you, than meet up with them. And my future is just...a _blur_ , at this point." She looked at him then, her gaze sated with turmoil as she added on a whisper, "Do you have _any_ idea what I'm talking about?"

 _Yes. God, yes._

"No."

A flash of hurt crossed her eyes, breaking his heart, but he had no choice.

 _Don't I?_

She sniffed. "Not a coward, huh?"

He just stared at her, feeling that monster inside claw to get out, but he wouldn't let it. He would never-

"Even if I _did_ know-"

 _No, what are you doing?!_

"-it wouldn't matter."

Her eyes widened a little, melting on his again. "Why not?"

"Because I won't _let it_ ," he growled, adding when she prepared to object. "Adrianna, you are kind and caring; you look at the world and want to make it better. I look at it and want to watch it go down in flames."

"No, you don't. I know you believe that about yourself, but you're wrong, Lucian. You're a good man."

He sniffed, clenching his jaw. "Why would you believe that? Because I saved you?"

"Twice."

"That doesn't make me a good man, Adrianna!"

"It does in my book!"

"Then you need to _burn_ that fucking book!"

The storm outside slammed the rain against the giant windows, the wind howling through the night...but Hades didn't once look away from the woman standing in the middle of his living room, breathing as heavily as he was.

"You can't change my mind about you," she whispered after a long moment. "It doesn't matter what you say. Or what you do."

"Then you're an idiot."

"Probably," she huffed. "But I'd rather be an idiot with you than walk away and never feel like this again."

 _Don't ask her._

"Feel like what?"

 _Moron._

"Confused. Mortified. Lost," she whispered in that warm voice of hers, swallowing hard before adding, "Wonderful."

 _Wonderful? After everything they'd been through tonight, after nearly dying, she feels...wonderful?_

"Lucian?"

Her begging voice broke something inside of him, pushed him over some sort of edge.

It was over.

He was done.

Growling, he stalked over to her...and crushed his mouth into hers. His hands drove into her lush black hair, grabbed handfuls of it as he finally kissed the woman he'd craved for millennia. And she kissed him back. Unreserved fire and passion met him, her lips as hungry for him as his were for her. And her taste...God, her taste. _Nothing_ had prepared him for the taste of her. Kissing Adrianna was like discovering a new world, like touching the heaven he'd been deprived off.

Blindly, he moved them to drive her back against the window. He needed her body harder against his, needed to feel the press of those firm, full breasts against his chest. She molded against him instantly, her curves fitting into his hard edges with stunning perfection. Feeling the softness of her body against his, feeling her respond, feeling her surrender was unlike anything he'd ever experienced; unmatched even by their dreams. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he _knew_ that what he was doing was wrong...but he willfully _unknew_ it, and the scolding voices in his head were lost to the drum of her hot blood and the tingle of her deep, red lips. He wanted to taste every inch of her and be tasted _by_ her.

God, he'd never wanted anything more.

He parted her mouth greedily, invading with his tongue. Groaning at the sensation of her warm mouth hungrily drinking him in, he reached down without ever taking his lips from hers, cupping her knees and lifting her up. He let out a strangled moan as she wrapped her slim legs around him, pressing her warm center against his aching hardness. Unable to stop himself, he slipped his hands underneath her dress, brushing the lace that covered her curved, tight bottom.

He should've come to his senses then, thought about what he was doing…but he was lost, helpless, unable to rule his needy mouth, his restless hands, while within, his heart beat out the mortifying truth.

 _I can't stay away from her._

His desperate kisses moved to her neck, kissing her bruises before tracing lower to that dip at the base of her throat, tracing it with his tongue. She cried out in pleasure, writhing against him with a desperate need that matched his own. He wanted to hear her cry out like that again; cry out his name as he buried himself deep inside of her.

That was the only thing that drove him now…

A hunger.

A demand.

A moment's madness where body ruled mind and blood roared over reason.

* * *

Adrianna lost her mind, gave it up willingly. Who was there to know, to care, but the two of them in the dark and the storm? Desire pounded in her veins nearly as hard as the rain on the roof above them, fueled by _years_ of abstinence; by _weeks_ of wanting him. She was more conscious of Lucian than she had ever been of anything or anyone else in her life; of the faint shine of grey beneath his half-closed lids, of the shadow of light stubble across his jaw where he hadn't shaved—and more than anything else of his _mouth_ , the shape of it, the way it felt pressed against hers, the skill with which he made her body melt. As she let herself fall into him, she realized with a previously unknown certainty that she would never have enough.

She would never have enough of him.

He was everywhere, kissing her harder, deeper, with a feverish need. Moaning deep in her throat, she reached for him as if she would otherwise drown, fingers clutching at his collar and hair. She ached. It felt as if she couldn't get close enough to him, close enough to his broad chest, to the solid muscles of his thighs. Deep inside, her passion was struggling with her mind, which urged her to take a moment to think, to talk.

 _Tell him you're a virgin. You have to tell him before he finds out for himself. You have to-_

Adrianna gasped when he gently tugged at her curls, but he caught her gasp in his mouth, drowning it out with a growl of his own, drowning out the objections that whispered in her mind.

With impatient fingers, she reached for the hem of his shirt , tugging it out of his pants. She drew it up just enough to slide her hands beneath it, touching his warm, soft skin. He groaned as her fingers ran over the muscles of his abdomen, trailing down to that little patch of hair that disappeared into his pants. He took over then, roughly pulling the fabric over his head and flinging it aside. She wanted to stare at his chest in awe, but before she could, he drew her into another searing kiss. Trembling, she hooked her arms around his neck; his skin burning hot to the touch. The muscles of his shoulders were hard and smooth; flexing underneath her palms. Physically, she was so small, so vulnerable in the arms of this large man…and yet, she'd never felt more powerful, more secure.

She could feel the zipper of her dress moving down then, his warm fingers following its path over her back, making her body come alive in a way it never had before. Every inch of her skin burned for his touch, her lower body now hot and pulsing as her mind tried to stay in the moment, feel everything and remember it in all its delicious glory.

When he slowly brushed the red straps from her shoulders, down her arms, that voice came back, once again urging her to tell him about her virginity; to get it over with. It was no big deal after all. It didn't change anything.

Her dress pooled down to her waist, revealing her lace-clad breasts. Groaning, she ran her fingernails across his back, squirming against him as his mouth moved away from her lips, to her jaw, down her neck, continuing their path to the valley between her breasts. She'd never been kissed there, but God, she loved it. The feeling of his stubble scraping against the sensitive skin, his warm breath seeping through her pores and setting her blood on fire. She bit her lip, threading her fingers through his hair as she realized there were so many other spots on her body that had never been touched.

And she wanted his lips on all of them.

His hand slipped between her thighs and she cried out on a half sob of pleasure as he touched delicate flesh.

All Adrianna could feel was his touch, all she knew was the heat that moved through her, the need. She was speechless, nearly mindless.

Nearly.

"Lucian?" she moaned, drowning in the feeling of his fingers slowly moving closer and closer to her aching center.

"Cara," he moaned back, his tongue stroking a spot behind her ear that drove her crazy.

Cara. Why did that pet name sound so familiar, coming from him? He'd never called her Cara before, had he?

Her thoughts evaporated into nothing as his hips started moving against her core, the rhythmic thrusts giving her a taste of what was about to happen. And it felt good. _So_ good.

"Lucian," she breathed in his ear again as his lips locked onto her neck, his hard body pressing her tighter against the cool window. "I have to tell you something."

She could tell by the growl that emanated from his chest that he'd heard her, but he didn't stop, he didn't even slow down. And she didn't want him to. God, she didn't want him to.

But she _had_ to tell him. Maggie had always pressed that she _had_ to tell the man she would eventually make love to about her virginity. _She_ hadn't and because of that, the guy hadn't exactly been gentle. Besides, it wasn't good to start this thing with Lucian-whatever it was-on a lie.

She could feel his fingers unhook her bra and decided to get it over with so she could enjoy what was about to happen.

"Lucian," she breathed in his ear again, her heart hammering in her chest. "I'm a virgin."

The second the words were out of her mouth, the very _second_ , Lucian's hands froze on her thighs; his lips stilled on her neck. She could even feel his chest stop heaving against hers. He'd actually stopped breathing...

"Lucian?" she whispered, an ominous feeling raging through her belly. Something was wrong...

When he _finally_ moved again, Adrianna wanted to scream as his hands gently put pressure on her legs, forcing her to unwrap them from his hips. She didn't want to stop, didn't want distance between them...but it wasn't her decision to make.

Her feet hit the ground and she could barely keep upright, her knees weakened by desire and dread. What had happened?

Those hands once again balling into tight fists, he took a few hurtful steps away from her trembling body.

 _Why is he doing this?_

"Lucian, what-"

"You're a virgin?" he gnarled, those eyes pinning her down with a hard look.

Something inside her twisted together at his tone and for the first time in her life, she felt ashamed. Rationally, she knew there was no reason to feel that way. Being a virgin was nothing to be ashamed off...but he looked so upset; so _disgusted_.

"It's no big deal," she mumbled, pulling the straps off her dress back up over her shoulders, suddenly feeling too exposed.

"No big-" he cut himself off, his hands tightening so much tiny spots of blood appeared on the bandages.

"You're opening up your knuckles," she said, moving towards him. "Let me see, I-"

She trailed off when he actually backed away from her; as if he feared his touch; as if she was poison.

"How can you be a virgin?" he growled, his eyes narrowing. "We-"

He stopped himself again, his eyes switching back and forth between hers.

"It just never happened."

"But you're gorgeous."

Her blush crawled down her neck, her knees wobbling again. "It never felt right. I guess I was just...waiting."

"For what?" he growled.

She swallowed hard, whispering before she could stop herself, "For you."

His eyes softened for just a split second, that fire roaring in them again as he breathed, " _Cara_."

But as fast as it had come, it was gone again, ice replacing heat in his gaze, snuffing out that spark of hope that had ignited in her heart.

"This was a mistake," he barked.

She knew she should get angry, scream at him for treating her this way, for making her feel so small...but kissing him, opening up to him had made something weaken inside of her and instead of cursing him out, she heard herself beg, "Please, don't say that, Lucian."

His jaw set as he grabbed his shirt of the floor, putting it back on without a word as she saw that familiar cold seeping back into his dark eyes.

"Don't do this," she whispered, her stomach knotting. "Please, don't become that man again. Not after-"

"You can stay or go," he said as he buttoned up, his voice now void of any emotion.

"Lucian-"

His eyes snapped back up to hers...and she could tell there was nothing she could say anymore. It wouldn't matter.

He was gone.

Just in case it wasn't clear to her yet though; in case a part of her heart wasn't completely shattered yet, he snarled,

"I don't do virgins, detective."

Adrianna felt her veins turn into ice, her mind and body actually going into shock. Had he really just said that? Was this really the same beautiful man she'd been kissing only second ago, the man she'd been willing to give herself to?

Anger surged through her then, but she couldn't form a single word. Not without breaking down. She could already feel tears well up behind her eyes, could feel them pushing to break free...and there was no way in hell she was going to cry in front of him!

 _No._

 _Way._

Tearing her eyes away from his, she took in a sharp breath and hurried past him, hurling towards the elevator. He didn't try to stop her this time and there was no way she was turning back either. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

As soon as the doors opened, she shot inside, keeping her back turned to him until she heard the doors close again.

 _Don't cry._

 _Do you hear me, Adrianna?_

 _Do. Not. Cry._

When the doors dinged open, Adrianna spurted out of the elevator, heading for the exit. She wouldn't come back here.

Not ever.

Not to this hotel and certainly not to that man.

She'd been humiliated enough.

"Miss Salvatore?"

Adrianna jumped when Lucian's driver suddenly popped up beside her, matching her rapid pace.

"Leave me alone, Mike," she snapped, feeling the tears push against her eyes.

"Mister Nox asked me to drive you home."

"Hah!" she let out a loud, barking laugh, glaring at the poor man. He had nothing to do with this...but in that moment, she didn't care.

"Please, miss," Mike tried again, the revolving doors getting closer. "He insisted-"

She stopped in her tracks, shooting Mike a disgusted look as she hissed, "He _insisted_?"

"Yes, he wants-"

"I don't _care_ what he wants, Mike!" she yelled, making a few heads turn in her direction. She didn't care, though. She just wanted to get out of there, put as much distance between her and the man a few floors above. Maybe then, that ache in her heart would lessen. It had to. She couldn't keep feeling this way. "I don't need him! Or his driver! Or anything he could possibly offer me! Do you hear me? I am _done_!"

She spun on her heels again, about to storm out when Mike groaned, "He suspected you'd say that and if you did, he told me to tell you that he could always have that long overdo chat with your sergeant...and your brothers."

Adrianna froze, her fingers balling into fists, her nostrils flaring. Was Nox really threatening to tell her brothers about Rodchenko? To tell her sergeant?

"Miss-"

"Just lead the fucking way!"

When Mike walked out in front of her, she followed him through the rain, slipped into the town car and watched as the world outside passed by. Everything was still standing...and yet, it felt like the world had collapsed around her.

 _Stop it,_ a strong voice hissed in her head. _You're better than this. You're Adrianna Salvatore. Don't let him get to you. Sure, you opened up for the first time in your life, let yourself be vulnerable and you got crushed because of it, but see things from the bright side-_

Even the voice in her head drew a blank then, unable to think of a bright side to this situation. Because there was none. She'd let him inside and he hadn't just _hurt_ her... He'd _ripped her apart_.

When the car stopped in front of her building, her rage only grew. Fuming, she got out, immediately heading for one of the three men who weren't nearly as inconspiuous as they tried to be.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she snarled, recognizing the guard from her time in Lucian's home.

"Mister Nox just called us and gave us orders to guard you here from now on and-"

"No!" she screamed, slowly losing the battle against her tears...and her sanity. "No, no, no! Go away! Now!"

The three men exchanged glances, but she could see on their faces that they wouldn't take orders fom her. Only from _him_. And she wasn't about to call _him_. Not even just to yell at him. She didn't want to hear his voice, ever again.

"Oh, fuck it all to hell!" she screamed, blowing past the men and storming up the stairs.

She was relieved to find her apartment empty. She couldn't face her brothers right now. They would see something was wrong and this was one story she wouldn't share with them. Or with anyone. Ever.

As shame flushed her cheeks, she felt a tear trickle down her skin...and then, something inside broke. Folding her hands over her mouth, she tried to stop herself from sobbing...but it didn't work and for the first time ever, Adrianna just...broke.

* * *

A decanter slammed against a clean white wall, the sound of shattering crystal filling the dark room. Hades watched the scotch drip down as his breath came out in short, labored pants; his body tense and aching; his mind screaming out.

 _She's a virgin? How is that possible? The things we've done in our dreams-_

His mind flooded with memories of their lovemaking; of being inside of her; of feeling her come-

Letting out a primal scream, Hades gripped the glass table, hurling it across the room until it smashed into the black dining table, showering glass everywhere...but if he'd expected that breaking things would help with the rage inside, with the self-hatred, he was sorely mistaken.

 _How could I have let this happen? How could I have lost control like that?_

He clutched his hair, letting the truth sink in. Adrianna had never been with anyone? Why had she never told him? Not even when they'd first made love in their dreams had she revealed her innocence...

 _Because it wasn't real in your dreams. It was her imagination, her fantasy. There is no pain there, no restrictions, no fear._

For years, he'd thought she was out here, in the real world, having a life, loving others, while in reality, he'd been the only one.

 _"It just never felt right,"_ he heard her sweet voice whisper again. _"I guess I was just...waiting. For you."_

Snarling, he snagged a lamp of the coffee table, flinging it towards the window-

-but it never reached its destination.

"You!" he yelled, stalking over to Aphrodite with murder in his eyes. "This is _your_ fault!

Aphrodite backed away from him, dropping the lamp she'd caught as she held up her hands in an gesture of innocence. "Okay, I have no idea what's going on, but I can see that you're a tad angry-"

"I went out with her today because _you_ forced my hand!" he screamed, following her backwards retreat. "I bet you even knew, didn't you?! You _knew_ about her!"

"Knew _what_ about _who_?!"

"It's not bad enough that I fail to stay away from her?! That I'm too damn weak to do what's right?! No, I have to almost _violate_ her in the worst possible way!"

"Violate her?!"

"She's a virgin!" he shouted, hearing his anger bounce of the high ceilings. "Pure! Innocent! _Everything_ that I'm not! And I almost took it from her against a fucking window!"

Aphrodite's palms pressed down on his chest, stopping him in his tracks, her eyes wide and sparkling on his. "I'm sorry. Back up. You did what?"

Hades wanted to wipe that look of her face; that interested, delighted look...but no matter how evil he was, he didn't hit women.

"You heard me!" he barked.

"You and Adrianna-"

"Yes!" he snarled, cutting her off. He didn't need to hear the words out loud. He knew what they'd almost done... He knew it all too well. He could still feel her legs around him, her hands on his muscles, her tongue stroking his-

"I lost control!" he gnarled. "And because of it, I almost took advantage of her."

"Took advantage?" the goddess asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Was she drunk?"

"No."

"Drugged?"

"No."

"Otherwise incapacitated?"

"No!"

"Then _how_ exactly did you take advantage of her? It sounds to me like she was up for it."

"She has no idea who I am! She _thinks_ she does, she _thinks_ there's anything redeemable in me-"

"Smart girl."

Hades growled, his eyes spitting fire. "You and I both know she's wrong, Aphrodite! I might be human now, maybe even have a conscience in this mortal form...but I'm the embodiment of evil!"

"No, you're not, Hades," the goddess said, watching him with kind eyes. "You have a certain reputation because of what you do, but _you_ are not evil. Adrianna is the living proof of that. You love her. You've loved her for millennia. _Evil_ doesn't love."

"She's an anomaly!"

"No, she's not."

"No?" he tore the bandages of his hands, showing her his wounds. "Do you know how I got these?"

She shook her head, her eyes widening a little as she took in his battered knuckles.

"I lacerated them while I was bashing in a man's face!"

"You hurt a human?"

"Hurt? I _destroyed_ him!"

She opened her mouth, clearly about to to berate him...but then, she pressed her lips together again, watching him with piercing eyes before she asked, "What had he done?"

"Who said he did anything? Maybe I just felt like hurting someone!"

She shook her head softly. "No, you punish the guilty, Hades. That's what you do. You don't just hurt people at random. What had he done?"

Hades ground his teeth together, looking away from her.

"Ah," she sang knowingly. "He hurt your girl, didn't he? He hurt her and you made him pay."

Hades clenched his jaw, snarling. "She's not my girl."

"Yes, she _is_. She belongs to you, Hades. And _you_ belong to _her_. You're a half of a whole-"

"Don't start with your _love goddess-crap_!"

"It's not crap!" she spit out, offended. "Just because Hallmark slapped it on a overpriced card, doesn't mean it doesn't hold any meaning anymore! I've been saying this from the start, Hades; some things you have no control over! Ever if you somehow manage to push back your feelings, there's still the matter of _her_ feelings! Things changed for her the second you entered this world! Her soul knows its Mate is here and it won't let her walk away from you!"

"Yes, it will! I hurt her tonight, Aphrodite! She won't forgive me! I've made sure of that!"

Aphrodite just smiled, shaking her head. "Fine, then don't listen to me. But this isn't my first rodeo, cowboy. Don't you think I've seen this before? You remember Elena and Damon, right? You remember how they tried to push each other away every change they got? Remind me, how did that turn out again?"

Hades turned away from her, glaring at the skyline, ignoring that feeling in his chest that warned him she might just be right...

"Look, I'm sorry you're in pain, Hades. I really am. I wish I could help, but I'm already putting my ass on the line by covering for you with Zeus. I don't know what else I can-"

"Do you have any more of that potion?" he asked, an idea taking form.

"What potion?" she aswered, her eyes turning wide when she realized what he was talking about. "No, Hades. Bad idea."

"I _need_ to be with her."

"Then be with her _here_! Slipping inside her dreams isn't fair, Hades! She won't remember any of it afterwards!"

"But _I_ will!" he barked. "Look, I know it's selfish, I do, but I just need one night; one night where I can hold her and tell her I love her."

"Hades-"

"You know that when this is over; when I've hid her from my brothers; when they figure out what I've done; that I won't ever see her again, right? They won't let me go near her. Not even in her dreams."

Aphrodite sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Tonight _can't be_ the last memory I have of her, Aphrodite. I was so cruel to her-"

 _I don't do virgins,_ he heard himself snarl again, watching her beautiful eyes fill with pain and _humiliation_. He'd _humiliated_ her. He'd humiliated his devine, ravishing girl.

" _Please_ , Aphrodite."

The goddess stared at him for a long time...and then let out a deep sigh as she pulled at one of the many chains around her neck until a light blue vial slipped from between her cleavage. When she held it out for him, he reached for it eagerly...but before he could get his hands on it, Aphrodite pulled it back, saying "You do realize that there's a very good chance things won't go the way you hope, right?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, when she's in that dream state with you, she remembers your previous dreams _and_ what's going on in her real life."

"So?"

"So...you don't forsee any problems there?"

Hades just growled, snatching the potion from her fingers. "I _need_ to see her, talk to her. I'll figure the rest out along the way."

Aphrodite shot him a little smile, those eyes sparkling again in that knowing way he hated. "Well, what could possibly go wrong with such a well-thought-out plan?"

Glaring at her, Hades popped the cork out of the vial without a second thought, bringing the potion to his lips.

"Wait, before you take that, I need to tell you something," the goddess said, stopping him just in time. "You jumped at my throat earlier, so I couldn't get a word in, but the reason I came here tonight was to warn you."

"Warn me?" he growled. "Do Zeus and Poseidon suspect anything?"

She shook her head. "No, it's not about them. It's about Damon and Elena."

"Damon and Elena?"

"They're coming to town."

Hades sniffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Off course they are. That's just what I needed."

"Just stay out of there way, Hades. That's easiest. They know who you really are and it's in your best interest to make sure they don't tell anyone. If you reveal yourself, Zeus and Poseidon will know."

"I'm _aware_ , Aphrodite," he snarled.

"Yes, well, they'll probably arrive sometime tomorrow and they're only here for a day or so, to celebrate Adrianna's witch-friend's birthday."

"Yeah, that's why her brothers are in town too."

"Just, be careful."

He sniffed and then emptied the vial in his mouth, that familiar warmth immediately swirling inside of him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you about this dumb idea, Hades," the goddess sighed, her voice already sounding far away as he stumbled to the couch. "She won't be pleased with you."

Ignoring her, Hades sank down on the cushions, his eyes drifting closed...while a few blocks away, Adrianna's teary, exhausted eyes were doing the same thing, drifting into oblivion right alongside him...

...unaware of what what was waiting for her on the other side...

...and _who_.

* * *

 **Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to update, but as you've probably noticed, this chapter just kept going! I hope you liked it... I've reread this chapter so many times, I didn't like it by the end of it... I just hope that's a side effect from over-reading :-D! Please, let me know by review or Twitter ( LustAndLoveFF)! Hearing you thoughts, feelings makes all the work worth it!**

 **X LustAndLove**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Hades was back on that little, secluded beach, listening to the waves crashing onto the shore as the woman he loved stared out into the ocean. The sun was setting on the horizon, bathing his bikini-clad beauty in a mystical orange light. God, he loved watching her. How did anything so beautiful even exist? And what cruel twist of faith had bound that pure, innocent creature to a monster like him? She deserved so much better…

As if hearing his thoughts, Adrianna glanced over her shoulder, those blue widows to her soul immediately finding him. She turned in a swirl, the beach dress that barely reached her thighs catching the wind with every step she took towards him.

Desire coursing through his veins, he started walking too, impatient for her touch. He never got to hold her when they were both awake, at least not the way he craved to hold her...and he missed it so damned much. Wrapping his arms around her always felt like coming home. He'd never known what that was like; he'd never been at home anywhere in his long life...except when he was with her.

 _She_ was his home.

When he finally met her halfway, he reached out for her, ready to pull her against his chest, hold her, kiss her…but instead, her palm slammed into his cheek the second he was within reach, making his skin burn with her fury.

For a moment, he wasn't sure what had just happened, but then, he heard Aphrodite's warning chime in his head.

 _When she's in that dream state with you, she remembers your previous dreams_ **and** _what's going on in her real life. She won't be pleased with you._

The goddess might have been on to something. And he deserved this. He deserved her anger, her wrath...What he _didn't_ deserve, were her tears. She shouldn't be crying over a fucking bastard like him and yet, that's what she was doing.

He'd made her cry.

He'd made his beautiful, perfect girl cry.

"Adri-"

" _I don't do virgins?!_ " she yelled, her wet angry eyes glaring at him. " _I don't do virgins,_ Lucian?!"

He swallowed hard, his gut wrenching. "I know, I didn't-"

" _I don't do virgins?!_ "

Her hand flew out again, ready to slap...but he grabbed her wrist just in time, stopping her mid-air. The second he touched her, he could feel electricity crackle between them; could feel her pulse speeding up underneath his fingers...but her anger didn't diminish. If anything, he'd made things worse.

Fuming, she pulled herself free, her blazing eyes shooting to the sky as she screamed, "Wake up, Adrianna! Wake up, right now!"

"That's not going to wor-"

"Wake up!"

"Baby-"

Her eyes snapped back to him, narrow and furious as she snarled, " **Don't** call me baby!"

He took a step closer to her…and she took one back, making him growl softly. She'd never done that before. No matter how angry she got in their dreams, she'd _never_ avoided his touch.

"Don't you dare make that sound!" she hissed, pointing a long finger at him. "Do you really think you can treat me the way you treated me tonight and then slip inside my dreams as if nothing happened?!"

"No, I-"

" _How_ could you do that to me, Lucian?" she cut him off. "I've begged you to meet me in the real world _so_ many times! I've dreamt about it since the day we met and now, you're finally there and you behave like this total and complete asshole?! Not just tonight, but since day one!"

"Adrianna-"

" _Don't_ say my name like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like I mean _anything_ to you!"

He took a step closer to her…but she pinned him down with a furious look, stopping him in his tracks.

" _Adrianna_ ," he rumbled. "You know you mean _everything_ to me."

She sniffed, a tear dripping down her flushed cheek.

"I hate behaving the way I do out there. It _kills_ _me_ to say the things I say to you, to do the things I do-"

"Then _don't_ say them! _Don't_ do them!'

"It's not that simple!"

"No, it never is with you, is it, _Lucian_?"

He swallowed hard, knowing what was coming...

"You used the name _I_ gave you?! Seriously?! Even in the real world, you won't tell me who you are?! That is _so_ fucked up!"

"I know," he growled, frustrated. "I-"

"Are you even a gypsy?" she cut him off, glancing down at the crystal around his neck. "Is that really a family heirloom or-" She trailed off when she saw the answer in his eyes. "Unbelievable!"

" _You_ are the one who deduced I was a gypsy. I never said-"

" _Be very careful_ ," she hissed, her eyes blazing. "You do _not_ want to start blaming _me_ for any of your messed up lies right now!"

"I'm not blaming you, I just...I let you believe I was a gypsy to justify how I knew about who you are, who your family is-"

"You could justify it by telling me the truth! By telling me about these dreams!"

"I can't do that."

"Why not?! Because it'll make you sound crazy?! It will, at first, but I would believe you eventually and-"

"That's not why."

"Then why?! Just tell me!"

"I can't, Cara. I want to...but I can't."

"Don't give me that!"

"It's the truth! I wish things could be different! I wish-"

"Bullshit! If you wanted them to be different, things _would_ be different! If you hadn't been so goddamned mean, we would be in a bed together right now! I would've fallen asleep in your arms like I've always wanted instead of falling asleep alone, crying!"

He clutched his jaw. "I know I hurt you-"

" _Hurt me_?!" she snarled, her voice breaking. "No, you _hurt me_ by being cold and distant and calling me _detective_! Tonight, you did _more_ than hurt me! You made me feel like a freak, like I was worthless! You acted like taking my virginity would be the most disgusting thing you'd ever do!"

"Because it would be!"

She flinched as if he'd slapped her in the face, more tears welling up in her beautiful eyes.

"Okay-" he admitted,kicking himself over the head. "-that came out wrong. Let me explain-"

"You know, most men would be glad that a woman saved herself for them, but you-"

"I was _honored_ , Cara," he cut her off, making her sniff again. "I _was_! I _am_! I just-"

"-enjoy humiliating me?!"

"No! I didn't _enjoy_ that! I could _never_ enjoy anything that causes you pain, Cara. I lov-"

"Don't!" she barked, her eyes widening a little. "Don't you dare say those words to me for the first time _now_! You don't do what _you_ just did to _me_ to someone you… _feel that way_ about!"

He took a few deep breaths, trying to push back the instinct to grab her, pin her down against the cliffs and _show her_ exactly how he felt, no words needed...

"Cara," he growled, struggling to control himself. "When I said that taking your virginity would be the most disgusting thing I'd ever do, I meant that I am _not_ the man you should bestow that honor upon. I'm not _worthy_ of you."

He could see her features soften just a bit. "That's _my_ decision to make!"

"Yes, it is, but choosing _me_ would be a _stupid_ decision, Cara."

"Why?" she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Don't tell me this is about what happened in that alley again. They attacked us, your system was flooded with adrenaline and you just lost it for a second-"

"Did I?!" he cut her off on a snarl. "The more I think about it, the more I realize I knew exactly what I was doing! I thought I was too late, I thought he'd killed you and I wanted him dead for it, Adrianna! I wanted to feel his life slip away-"

Suddenly, her warm fingers wrapped around his clutching hands, her eyes melting on his for just a few, wonderful seconds…and then, she blinked wildly, clearly remembering she was angry.

Removing her touch, she took a step back again, running a hand through her wet curls. "You were cold to me long before that alley, so I'm guessing this isn't just about that man, is it?"

He shook his head, his hands still burning where she'd touched them.

"Is there any chance you'll tell me what it _is_ about?"

"I told you before, I can't."

"Then why did you come here? If you can't tell me anything, what's the point?"

"I just…had to see you," he growled. "I couldn't let tonight, in my loft, be the last memory I have of you."

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

 _God, that chest..._

"But you're okay with it being the last memory _I_ have of _you_?" she snapped. "Why would you-"

"You're hurt, right?" he growled. "And when you wake up, you'll hate my guts?"

"You're not exactly my favorite person right now, either."

"And the last thing you'll want to do is come anywhere near me, correct?" he rumbled, ignoring that stabbing pain in his chest at her words. "You won't want to have anything to do with me, ever again?"

She opened her mouth to snap something back, but then, those beautiful lips closed again and she frowned, watching him closely.

" _That's_ what tonight was about?" she asked after a tense moment. "Pushing me away?"

He just watched her, his eyes giving her the answer.

"Why did you even come into my life, then?" she croaked.

"I didn't mean to."

Her eyebrows knotted together even tighter. "What?"

"I had to come to your town for reasons I can't explain-"

"The Gomorrah Codex," she cut him off, her eyes curious on his. "You came to town for The Gomorrah Codex."

His heart raced a little faster in his chest. She was too smart for her own good sometimes...

"To protect a woman," Adrianna continued, frowning again. "What woman, Lucian?"

"It doesn't matter," he rumbled.

"It clearly matters to you."

"Adrianna-"

"It's me, isn't?" she asked, watching him closely. "You need a spell to protect _me._ "

"No."

She sniffed, shaking her head softly. "You know, I can always tell when you're lying. Even when we're awake."

"Adrianna, please, just drop-"

"What are you trying to protect me from, Lucian?"

"I can't tell you."

Her tiny hands fisted. "Okay, can you at least tell me why you need _a spell_ to keep me safe? You know I'm a cop, right? And that I have an army of vampires at my every beck and call if I need them? Why can't you just tell me what the danger is so I can take my own precautions?"

 _Because if I told you about Zeus and Poseidon, they would sense it and they would know I'm not sticking to the plan. They'd kill you on the spot. No human or supernatural army could protect you. The only option is to make you disappear of their radar completely, to hide you so they can't find their target._

"We could deal with it together," she tried again when he didn't speak, casting him a little smile. "I mean, we could-"

"There is no _we_. I can't stay, Cara."

Her face fell, those mesmerizing eyes switching back and forth between his, searching. "What?"

"I can't stay," he repeated, softer. "In a few months, I have to go back to where I came from."

"Do you _have to..._ or do you _want to_?"

"I _have to_ ," he growled without a second thought. "I _want to_ stay. With you. You have no idea how _desperately_ I want that-"

"Then stay. Stay with me."

 _After everything I did, she still wants that? She still wants me to stay? She still wants_ me _?_

"Again," he growled, his heart breaking. "It's not-"

"-that simple?"

He nodded, shooting her an apologetic look. "Do you understand now why it's best for you to hate me, Cara? Why it's best to hurt _now_ instead of further down the line, when I've let things get to far; when I've inevitable lost control around you? Believe me, saying goodbye will be so much harder when we've made memories together, when you've woken up beside me-"

"You don't know that," she whispered on a breeze.

"Yes, I do, because whenever we're together out there, _I_ remember, Cara. I remember and it kills me."

"At least _you_ know _why_ you're hurting! I, on the other hand, have no clue as to _why_ I feel so goddamned horrible all the time! I just fell asleep crying, for the first time _ever,_ not understanding _how_ I could let a bastard like you hurt me so badly; why I feel the way I do about you; how you got under my skin! I feel like I'm going crazy!"

"I know, sweetheart. I know, but if you've ever trusted me on anything, trust me on _this_. You can't miss what you don't remember."

"Is that what you think?"

"Adrianna-"

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

Hades nodded, a sad smile pulling at his lips.

"It was my twentieth birthday-" she said softly. "-and all of a sudden, when I closed my eyes at night, I was in this amazing mountaintop house in Florence and this handsome man told me he'd been waiting for me."

"I remember," he whispered, seeing her standing in that open window again, the soft light from the setting sun dancing on her deep blue dress. "God, Cara, I remember."

"That house doesn't exist, right?"

"No."

"But that mountain does."

"Yes. It's a mountain-"

"-a few miles away from the center of Florence," she finished for him, fresh tears making her eyes glisten. "I know. Do you know _how_ I know that, Lucian? Because a few years ago, before I moved out of my parents' home, I took a backpack and started walking. I wanted to clear my head, find some peace, find myself…but instead, I found myself in Florence, climbing this ridiculously steep mountain for no apparent reason. The sun was cooking me, I didn't bring nearly enough water, I wore the worst shoes possibly for such an endeavor and yet, I _had_ to get up there. I didn't know why, I didn't know that I was looking _for you_. All I knew was that I _had_ to reach the top. And when I finally did, this terrible pain made my knees buckle. I didn't understand it, but it crippled me, Lucian. For the first time, I was overwhelmed by this longing; this awareness that I was missing…something. I slept there that night and when I woke, I decided it had just been exhaustion. I tried to forget about it, I tried really hard…but that longing never left. It's always there; this darkness, this hole…until a few weeks ago. Until I met you. All of a sudden, I can _breath_ again. Even though you've been a bastard to me since day one, a part of me knows who you really are; who you really are _to me_. That's why I've been crying my eyes out all night; why, even though I hate you, I still secretly hoped you'd come after me tonight. So, don't tell me you're doing this to save me from heartbreak, Lucian. It's already too late for that. I might not consciously remember our dreams, but _my heart_ remembers them; _my soul_ remembers them; remembers _you_."

"God, baby, please," he growled, touching his forehead to hers. " _Please_ , don't make this any harder than it already is."

"I'm not the one making it hard," she whispered, her warm breath feathering his lips. "Everything could be so easy, so right if you just let go."

"I can't," he gnarled. "Cara, trust me; your beautiful, kind heart _will_ survive this. You're so strong, sweetheart. Stronger than I even realized until I actually met you. You _will_ be okay without me...but not if I let this go any further; if I let _us_ go any further. If you knew how I truly felt, how much I want you, it wouldn't be that easy-"

"Easy?!" she snarled, her blue eyes turning angry again.

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do!" she snapped, her chin raised stubbornly. "You mean you know better than me how I feel! That you know how much pain I'm in even though you have no way of knowing that!"

"Adrianna-"

"No!" she snarled, cutting him off. "You've said enough! I get it! You won't come near me in the real world again?! Fine! But then _this_ has to end too, Lucian! If you refuse to be with me for real because of some ridiculous theory, then you don't get to have me in here, either! You can't have it both ways!"

"I know."

"No, I'm serious! If you don't get your ass to the real world and actively try to win me back; this is where it ends! You will never see me again! We're done!"

"I know, Cara," he whispered again, his heart shattering in his chest. "I understand."

She just frowned at him, her lips pressed shut tightly. His hands were itching to touch her, to take away all that anger and pain...but he feared his touch, which she so craved in the past, would no longer be welcome.

"I know you probably won't believe this after everything I did-" he rumbled, holding her blue depths. "-and you won't even remember me saying this to you, but you still need to hear it, Cara. I _need you_ to hear it, just once-"

"Lucian, don't-"

"I love you, Adrianna Salvatore," he cut her off, watching those beautiful blue eyes tear up again. "I have loved you since the beginning of time and I will keep loving you until the fabric of this world is torn apart."

She swallowed hard, a tear trickling down her cheek.

God, he wanted to stay, to lay her down on the sand and make love to her, take away that pain…

"Goodbye, Cara," he growled, feeling his entire being protest this decision…but he still somehow managed to round her and walk away…

…at least, until she suddenly cut off his path, her eyes wide and fearful.

"You're leaving? You're _actually_ leaving?"

"I have to, Cara," he frowned. "Besides, you just _told me_ that you wanted me to go if I didn't-"

"I was bluffing!" she shrieked. "Lucian, tell me this isn't the last time I'll ever see you?!"

His eyes dropped, his silence giving her an answer. An answer she didn't like.

"No," she croaked, shaking her head. "It can't end like this!"

"Adrianna-"

"I love you," she breathed, making his eyes close. God, he loved hearing her say those three little words; words he didn't deserve.

"I love you, Lucian," she said again, igniting his blood. "And I want to be with you in the real world. I want to experience what it's like to love someone as deeply as I love you; to _be_ loved by someone-"

"And when it's time for me to leave? Then what, Adrianna?" he growled, trying to sound stern even though everything she was saying made his heart sore. "Have you thought about that?"

"Can I come with you?"

"No," he snarled. "Someone like you doesn't belong where I'm going."

"I belong with you."

His jaw set painfully as she looked up at him with those baby blues. She was right. She _did_ belong with him…but keeping her would be the most selfish thing he'd ever do.

"Okay," she croaked, no doubt reading the determination in his eyes. "Then I stand by what I said earlier. I want to be with you, Lucian. Even if there's a ticking clock on our time together. I want to be with you for as long as I can be. Whether it's for a week or a lifetime, I want you."

He wanted to protest again...but before he could, she raised on her tiptoes, pressing her curves against his hard edges, her plumb lips brushing softly over his as she whispered, "Can you remember what I tasted like, Lucian?"

She kissed him before he could answer, her tongue brushing over his until she pulled back and breathed, "It's not the same down here, is it?"

"No," he growled, his mind clouded by her seduction.

"No," she repeated, fisting his shirt as her hips ground against his. "In reality, I taste better, don't I? Richer. Sweeter."

"Yes. _God_ , yes."

She dropped her face to his neck, her nose brushing over his skin. "Do you remember what it felt like to have my lips on you here?"

He just growled, his pants tightening painfully as dark lust crept through his veins.

"Or what it felt like to have my legs wrapped around you, to feel me pressed against you _here_ -" Her hand brushed over the thick bulge that ached for her.

"Can you imagine what it would be like to make love to me, Lucian? To _actually_ make love to me?"

He moaned, his mind flooding with fantasies.

"If a kiss or a touch is already so much more intense out there, can you imagine what it would feel like to be inside me? How much warmer? How much wetter?"

He swallowed hard…and the seductress kissed his Adam's apple, brushing her tongue over the bump.

"Tell me you don't want to _feel_ that," she whispered. "Tell me you don't want to feel _me_."

"Off course I do," he gnarled, his hands fisting by his side.

"Then feel me. I'm right there, Lucian, for the taking. Just wake up-" Her fingers slipped down his chest, to the muscles that disappeared in his pants. "-and _feel me_."

"I can't," he groaned.

"Yes, you _can_. Feel me, _take_ me…before someone else does."

His blood suddenly boiling, he grabbed her hips and pressed her back against the cliffs, his eyes as dark as his soul. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on," she whispered. "You must've thought about it; about another's hands touching me; his lips tasting me, exploring me-"

His fingers sank deeper into her hips.

"You know it will happen at some point," she continued, torturing him. "Maybe I'll turn to Gabriel."

He growled, jealousy and fury crawling through his veins at the mere idea of that fucking P.I. touching his woman…

"I mean, with you gone-" she breathed. "-I'll probably ask him to help me with Rodchenko again; working long, dark nights alongside him; crammed together in his tiny, hot apartment-"

"Stop it," he barked, his nose turning up in disgust.

"Or maybe I'll go back to Henry's bar and let Scott fuck me in the stockroom, making me scream, making me-" She broke off her torture when Hades' fist slammed into the cliffs beside her head, cracking the stone and more than a few of his bones…but he felt no pain. His mind was too busy torturing him, flooding with images of his woman and those fuckers…

"It's going to happen, Lucian. Not with Scott or Gabriel, but with _someone_ at _some point._ I _am_ going to lose my virginity…and I want to lose it to you, to the man I love; even if that man can only be in my life for a little while."

 _Give in,_ the monster inside growled. _She knows you can't stay with her and yet, she's choosing you. So, be with her, find a way to keep her safe and leave. She just told you she'll be okay-_

 _She's okay_ now _! Without me!_

"Cara," he growled, tracing her soft lips with his thumb. "It _kills_ me to think of you being with anyone else...but I can't be selfish. Not with you. It _breaks_ me to say this...but you would be better off with someone like fucking Gabriel, someone normal-"

"But _I'm_ not normal! I'm The Crescător, my family is made up of vampires and Originals, I _always_ feel out of place...except when I'm with you. Please, don't take that away from me!"

He ground his teeth, feeling his heart break in his chest...but he couldn't give in. For her own good. "Sweetheart, I promise that when you wake, you'll be okay-"

"No," she croaked, welling up again. "I'll tell everyone that I'm fine, sure...but I won't be! I was raised to be strong, independent, but I _won't_ be okay! I won't be!"

"Yes, you will, Cara. I'll never come back here, you'll never have to feel this way again, you'll never have to remember _us_ again-"

She shook her head, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Please, don't say that! Please! You have no right to take this away from me; to take my memories!"

"Adria-"

Her lips crashed into his again, kissing him deeply as her fingers threaded in his hair. He let himself drown in her for just a moment, his arms wrapping around her, holding her close as a sharp pain stabbed Hades' heart. This would be their last kiss. This would be the last time he'd hold her. After tonight, he would never have her like this again. She would hate him in the real world, as she should…and he would never be able to slip into her dreams again, either. Once his brothers found out about his betrayal, they would make sure he never got his hands on the potion to come back here again…

"Please, Lucian," she groaned in his mouth, her tears dripping onto his lips. "I can't lose you! I can't! Please! I love you! I love you so-"

" **ADRIANNA?!"**

Adrianna woke with a gasp, her heart hammering in her chest at the sound of her brother's panicked voice. Immediately, she was on high alert, her muscles tensing, her senses heightened.

"What?!" she croaked, frowning at Asher who was clutching her shoulders painfully. "What is it?"

Her brother let out a relieved sigh, letting go of her as he sank down on the bed beside her.

" _I_ should be asking _you_ that question," he grumbled, clearly annoyed. "The second I walked through the door, I heard you crying. By the way, how did you soundproof your apartment so well? That must've costed you a-"

"Wait," she cut him off, sitting up straighter. "You heard me _what_?"

Asher's soft brown eyes fell to her cheeks only a split second before his hands followed and brushed over her skin. When he showed her his wet fingers, she ran her own hand over her cheek, staring at it in horror when it came back stained with tears, too.

Rubbing her damp forehead, she tried to remember her dream...but there was nothing but darkness. "I must've had a nightmare."

"I don't think so, sis," Asher said, flicking a few used tissues from her mattress. "It looks like you were crying before you fell asleep, too."

For a wonderful split second, she didn't know what he was talking about...and then, her heart and mind caught up with reality and she remembered the night before.

She remembered Lucian.

Rejecting her.

 _I don't do virgins._

She could feel her throat close, but before she started crying again, she jumped up and grabbed the tissues, shoving them in the nearest trashcan and shutting the lid roughly, hiding the evidence of her weakness. She didn't want to think about last night, about breaking down the way she'd done. She _never_ broke.

Not ever.

"Sis?" Asher whispered, his voice worried.

She turned in a swirl, a forced smile plastered on her lips. "I'm fine. I just had a little cold yesterday."

"A cold?"

"I'm not Immortal like you. I _can_ get a common cold."

"Oh please," he rumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her closely. "Adrianna, you haven't been sick a day in your life. It comes with being a Salvatore. And a good thing too since we can't heal you. Your strange Crescător-body doesn't allow you to consume any vampire blood before your twenty-fifth birthday, remember?"

 _My strange Crescător-body?_ she thought, shooting her brother a glare. _That's just what I needed; another man criticizing my body. These last couple of hours have done wonders for my self-esteem._

"You _can_ talk to me. You know that, right?" Asher said. It was the first time she noticed how much he sounded like Killian when he was being serious.

Speaking off-

"Isn't Killian with you?"

Asher understood her subtle change in subject and forced a smile on his face as he stood up. "No. I never take him out with me. He's not very good company to keep when you're trying to get laid."

"Ugh, TMI," she groaned, her lips twitching when she thought of Killian Salvatore being anyone's wingman. Her eldest brother had terrible social skills and no interest in the opposite sex...or the same sex...or just sex in general. In short, he would make the worst wingman ever.

 _Maybe you should take note,_ an annoyed voice hissed in her mind. _Killian would never get hurt the way you just got hurt! He knows better than to fall for someone he barely knows!_

 _Fall for?! I didn't_ fall _for him! I just-_

 _Oh, please!_

"Any idea where he is," she asked, trying to distract herself from her inner conflict.

"Nope, I never do with that guy. But he'll show up."

"He knows Maggie's party's tonight, right?"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Asher said, a strange twinkle in his eye. "He knows."

Normally, Adrianna would've tried to figure out why Asher had sounded so sly, but the truth was she felt like crap, so more than anything she just wanted to be left alone. She would already have to be Happy-Go-Lucky all night for Maggie.

"You know I can smell him on you, right?"

Adrianna froze, her chest clenching. "What?"

"I can smell him on you," Asher repeated, those brown eyes once again worried. "That Nox-guy."

The second Asher spoke his name, it felt like someone punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind right out of her. She tried her best to hide it, but there was no way her brother hadn't noticed.

"Did he do something to you?" he asked, the danger thick in his voice.

A part of her wanted to tell him what had happened...but that was probably a story best not shared with your brother.

"Adrianna?" Asher hissed when she didn't answer fast enough. "Did that fucker-"

"He didn't do anything, Asher," she cut him off, casting him a comforting smile. "We just worked late last night on a case. That's why you smell him on me."

Her brother cocked an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said before he could grill her anymore on the subject. "I can make you breakfast after."

Asher watched her in silence for a moment, longer, clearly debating whether he should push her into telling him the truth about last night or just drop it.

Luckily, he chose the latter.

"It's not morning yet, sis," he said, his voice lighthearted again. "Besides, I just came over to change my shirt."

Adrianna rolled her eyes, grabbing fresh clothes from her dresser. "Don't screw your way through my town, Asher. I have to live here, remember."

"Not making any promises."

She almost laughed...but she couldn't quite get there.

Closing the bathroom door behind her, she let out a deep sigh as she flipped on the light and saw herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale, her eyes red, her hair dull and lifeless. She looked the way she felt. Drained. Somehow, Lucian had taken something from her; broken something...but she would fix it. She wouldn't let Lucian Nox have this much power over her.

Stepping underneath the shower, she let the hot water envelop her, trying to sooth her body, but it didn't help. Her nerves were so on edge, her skin still burning where he'd touched her, her lips still tingling, her tongue still tasting him...

Clutching her hair with one hand, she cursed as she let her other hand slip down, to the darkness between her legs. There was only one way to sooth this ache...and she hated the fact that when she came, _his_ name softly slipped from her lips.

* * *

"We are running _so_ late!"

Damon grinned, propping up on his elbow as he watched his wife scramble out of bed, searching the floor for her clothes. Her hair was still a mess from making love, that curvy body covered in a thin layer of sweat, those brown eyes sparkling when they touched his again.

"Damon, don't look at me like that," Elena giggled. "That look made us miss our plane from Brazil! We have to go now or we'll never make it to the party!"

"I thought we _already were_ at the party," he rumbled, wiggling his eyebrows.

Elena laughed, throwing a pillow at him. "You _know_ I mean Maggie's party! Now, get up!"

"Oh, we're bossy today," Damon rumbled, throwing off the blankets and slipping out of the bed, immediately wrapping his arms around his wife. "I like it."

"No, no, no," she laughed, untangling from his embrace. "We both know where hugging is going to end up, mister Salvatore! We need to get ready!"

"So, I can't even kiss my wife after making love to her?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "You are such an idiot."

"An idiot that _really_ wants to kiss his wife."

She laughed again, biting that lip...and she knew damned well where biting that lip would lead to.

Growling, Damon grabbed Elena's arm and pulled her against him, his lips immediately finding hers. She kissed him back without missing a beat and as always, his heart sped up. Twenty-seven years had come and gone and kissing her still felt exactly the same as it had the first time they'd locked lips, out in the pouring rain, by the side of the road...and yet, everything had changed. Even his love for her. It had grown _deeper_ , if such a thing was even possible. Elena wasn't just the girl he loved more than anything in this world; she was his partner, his lover, his wife and the mother of his children. If you had told him thirty years ago that he would have all of that, he would've never believed you; he wouldn't have dared to. She was just too good to be true. And yet, here she was, in his arms, kissing him.

Her fingers threaded through his hair as he deepened their kiss, his hands cupping her soft behind, making her moan into his mouth.

"Damon," she groaned against his lips. "Baby-"

"Don't say it. Please, don't say it, Love."

She laughed, running her fingers through his hair. "We _have_ to go, sweetheart. We still have to pack, check out, pick up Maggie's present and then we still have a long drive ahead, plus-"

"-we still have to come up with a game plan to convince Adrianna to come back to Italy with us?"

Elena sighed, cocking an eyebrow. "Sweetheart, you've tried every game plan in the book. She's not coming home until her birthday. She wants to be independent."

"And if it gets her killed?"

Adrianna swallowed hard, her eyes suddenly full of fear and pain.

"Hey," Damon growled, cupping her cheek sweetly. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant that. That's not going to happen. I would never let anything hurt our girl. I'm just being-"

"-a good dad?"

He smiled warmly, kissing her nose.

"She has Margaret to keep her safe," Elena said, hooking her arms behind his neck. "And we've been training her since she was sixteen. She can take care of herself. Not to mention that no one's dumb enough to go after a Salvatore."

"Like no one was dumb enough to go after a Mikaelson?"

She cocked an eyebrow, grinning. "Are you calling me dumb, husband?"

"Never, wife," he growled, his nails teasingly scraping over her back.

"Look," Elena said, brushing her nose against his. "Adrianna is our daughter, which means she's not going to sit by a fireplace and be a good little girl."

"No," Damon sighed dramatically. "She gets that from me. I myself have always _refused_ to be a good little girl, too."

She laughed, her body shaking against his, making his fingers dig even deeper into her back.

"You know what I mean," she sang. "It's not in her genes to play it safe."

"True," he rumbled. "Her mom has always been a handful, too."

"Oh, really?" Elena laughed. "Like you're low maintenance!"

Damon grinned.

"She just wants to be her own person," Elena continued, playing with a strand of hair in his neck. "Make a difference. I'm proud at her for it."

His embrace tightening. "Yeah, yeah, so am I. I just wished she'd be her own person and make a difference while being immortal."

"I know sweetheart, but just count your blessings that she can't wait to turn in a few months. Remember how worried we were when she found her career? How scared we were that she would want to stay human because of it?"

"Mmmmmm," he agreed. "Honestly, I don't get why anyone would _not_ choose immortality. I mean, being an Immortal comes with so many benefits." He traced her lips with his thumb, feeling them trembling. "Strength. Speed-"

"-stamina," she whispered, briefly drawing his thumb into her mouth, tripping a growl from his chest.

His blue eyes grew heavy lidded, that sultry look making Elena's knees tremble.

"You said we need to get ready, right?" he growled.

"Mmmmmm," she murmured, biting that lip again. "We do."

"I agree. Let's start with a shower, shall we?"

"See," she breathed, hooking her arms around his neck. "That's why I married you, mister Salvatore. You always have the best ideas. Well, _that_ and the Camero."

Damon laughed as he lifted her up, her slender legs immediately wrapping themselves around him. "I knew you only wanted me for my car."

"Why else?" she sang teasingly.

"Why else?" he growled as he carried her to the bathroom. "I'll show you why else, woman."

Elena laughed as he slammed the door shut behind them and let the water envelop them both as they became one again.

* * *

The world had barely woken up; the sun still hiding behind a wall of dark clouds as harsh rain fell from the sky and a rough wind cut its way through the streets. Not a living soul would ever even consider going out in this weather...

Well, except maybe one.

Adrianna's running shoes hit the wet pavement at a rapid pace, water splashing up against her grey jogging. The hoody she wore was already drenched, but she was long past the point of caring. She was transfixed; in another world; a world where nothing existed besides herself and the road. Her breathing was labored, her muscles aching, but she kept going, embracing the pain. At least physical pain, she could handle; she knew how to deal with. It was that other pain, the pain that had driven her out into this storm in the first place, that tore her apart. Even after running for hours, she could still feel it pushing against her chest, against her heart and she knew that the second she stopped and gave her body a break, that hurt would be back with a vengeance.

And she still didn't understand why.

She'd met that man only a few weeks ago and its not like they'd even gotten along most of the time. So why did it feel like she was being ripped apart from the inside out?

Picking up her tempo even more, she turned into the main street, heading straight for Maggie's shop. She'd planned on making a stop there right before her friend's party, but since she was already here, she might as well get what she needed now.

Grabbing her keys from her pocket, she opened the door, careful not to ring the bell that hung above it.

Turning on the warm light, she flipped her hood back, wiping the sleeve over her sweaty forehead as she caught her breath. Luckily, she was in excellent shape, so it didn't take her heart very long to return to its normal pace...nor did it take long before she felt it break again.

"God, stop it," she hissed under her breath, her palm pressed against her chest. "He's just some asshole who-"

A loud creak coming from above shut her up, making her frown at the ceiling.

 _Is Maggie up already?_

Another creak...one that was too loud for it to have been made by tiny, frail Maggie.

Instinctively, Adrianna reached for her gun...but obviously, she hadn't taken her weapon with her when she'd left for her run.

Checking the room, Adrianna grabbed some rusty old dagger that was displayed on one of the shelves and made her way to the beaded curtain and up the stairs behind it.

"Maggie?!" she yelled as a warning when she was halfway up the stairs. A burglar was more likely to run as soon as they heard someone coming than stay and fight.

But there were no hurried footsteps, no sign of anyone getting their ass out of there.

In fact, for a long moment, it was completely silent...and then, the sound of much tinier feet rushing towards her made her sigh in relief. _That_ , was definitely Maggie.

As soon as the door on top of the stairs opened, Maggie's eyes met hers...before they widened in surprise. "You look like crap."

Adrianna laughed, taking another step up...as Maggie took one down, cutting off her path.

Cocking an eyebrow, Adrianna tried to look over her friend's shoulder, but the blonde moved in her line of sight whenever she tried to sneak a peak into her apartment.

"Is someone up there with you?" she whispered, her lips twitching.

Maggie's cheeks flushed with blood, making Adrianna smile for the first time since _him_. Maggie _never_ blushed.

Closing the door, her friend gestured for her to get back to the store and Adrianna did what she wanted, retreating from whoever she was holding a secret.

"Having a little pre-birthday party, are we?" she teased when Maggie grabbed the dagger from her and put it back in it's rightful place.

She ignored her remark...which was strange, since Maggie was always too happy to share her... _adventures_. Then again, maybe she should be grateful. Maggie's sex-stories would probably not help with that ache in her chest.

"Are you okay?"

Something on her face must've betrayed where her thoughts had gone and she quickly tried to pull herself together, plastering a fake smile on her lips. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

Maggie cocked a tweezed eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched her closely. "There's something in your eyes."

"Something in my eyes?" she repeated, sniffing. "Something like what?"

"I don't know," she said, tipping her head to the side.

Adrianna made another attempt at smiling. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine."

"It's four in the morning and from the looks of you, you've been out running in this weather _for hours_."

"I just want to stay in shape so that I'm ready when this ridiculous suspension gets lifted and I can get back out in the field."

"Mmmm," Maggie murmured, unconvinced. "I still say you're acting strange."

Adrianna sniffed, trying not to show how damned right she was. She didn't want to tell Maggie what had happened. It was too embarrassing. Here she was, a powerful Salvatore, and she'd been brought to her knees by a man. Nox had gotten inside of her, rattled her...and when she'd given in to those feelings, when she'd let go, he'd crushed her...

" _I'm_ acting strange?" Adrianna said, trying to steer the focus away from her. " _You're_ the one who's being all close-lipped about the conquest in your apartment."

"He's not a conquest. He's-" she trailed off, a blush coloring her cheeks and neck again. "I don't know what he is, but nothing's going on."

Adrianna frowned, a suspicion making her stomach turn. The last time she'd seen Maggie acting this strange was after the bastard she'd lost her virginity to had show up with a sex tape in tow and a list of demands.

"Please tell me Steven isn't up there," Adrianna snarled, her pulse already racing. "If he's up there, I swear to God-"

"Steven is not up there," Maggie cut her off, hugging herself defensively, rubbing her arms. She always did that when the subject of Steven came up, as if she tried to rub the memory off her body. "Why would you even think that?"

"Because you're _never_ secretive. _Me_ , sure, but _you_...never. In fact, you _overshare_ most of the time. It's pretty disgusting."

A little smile pulled at Maggie's lips again, that shame that had crawled into her eyes fading...but not completely disappearing just yet. And Adrianna couldn't help but wonder if that was her faith, too. It had been three years since Steven had humiliated her friend and Maggie still couldn't hear his name without her entire being flooding with embarrassment. Would it be like that for her, too? Would she never be able to think about _him_ without feeling humiliated to her core? Without her heart shattering in her chest? God, she hoped not.

"Besides," Maggie added, her lips curling even more. "I don't think Steven would be stupid enough to come back here. Not after what you did."

"What I did?" Adrianna said innocently. "What did I do?"

Maggie just cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh, you know about that, huh?" Adrianna said, biting her lip.

"About you breaking into his apartment and waiting for him in the dark with your loaded gun on your lap?"

"The gun wasn't loaded."

"Loaded or not, it made an impression," Maggie snickered. "I don't know what you said to him, but he was gone the next day and I never heard from him again."

Adrianna shrugged casually. "I might've mentioned the fact that I could make him disappear. And I might've painted a pretty vivid picture of how I would do it."

Her friend laughed, shaking her head, her blond curls bouncing.

"How did you find out?" she asked, frowning. "No one knew about that."

"I didn't know he was gone, so I went to his apartment the next day to try and convince him to leave. When it was empty and I noticed he'd left in a hurry, I got curious and I did a little spell to see what had happened. I only got shreds of images, but it was clear you'd scared him off."

"He was easily scared."

Maggie shot her a grateful smile. "I never thanked you for that."

"And you'll never have to. That's what friends are for. Besides, it was fun as hell. You know I never liked that guy."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I should listen to you when it comes to men. You have surprisingly good instincts for a girl who's last date was so long ago you had to use a fake ID to get into the bar."

Adrianna laughed, remembering the night Maggie was talking about. "And it was a disaster, by the way, so you really shouldn't rely on _my_ instincts." Her smile dropped, his face popping up in her mind again. "You r _eally_ shouldn't."

She laughed, frowning again when Adrianna started rummaging through the shelves. "Hey, not that you're not welcome, but...why are you here?"

Adrianna crouched down, pushing aside a few books. "I'm looking for some sort of hiding-potion."

"What are you trying to hide?"

"My smell."

Maggie let out a little laugh, crouching down beside her. "Your _smell_?"

She nodded. "Another fun Crescător side-effect. Apparently, I smell like every Supernatural's favorite thing."

"I don't smell anything."

"Yes, well, you're not _the right kind_ of Supernatural. Witches have nothing to gain from a Crescător. It's more meant for those who can't have offspring any other way."

"Interesting."

"That's one way of putting it," Adrianna mumbled. "I'd go for strange or disturbing or even disgusting, but the point is, I really don't like the idea of being Supernatural catnip and more importantly, I _really_ don't want my parents to find out this new development. They're already worried enough. And since they're coming to your party, I think it's best to take precautions."

"Mmmmm, good point," Maggie sang, raising again and disappearing behind the shelves.

When Adrianna followed, she was already pulling a purple vail from a drawer.

"Here," she said, handing her the potion. "One drop every day and you should be good."

"What's in it?" she asked, holding it up to the light. "Mostly Rosemary and then some magical components that make it infuse with your blood."

Adrianna shot her a worried look.

"It's harmless," the witch said, putting her at ease."Trust me."

She did. Maggie was one of the few people she trusted with her life.

 _You trusted_ him _, too._

Adrianna swallowed hard, ignoring that voice as she shoved the vail in her pocket. "Thanks, Maggie."

"Any time. I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Seven p.m. sharp."

"Is Lucian coming?"

Adrianna stop breathing for a moment...and Maggie noticed. But before her friend could comment on her slip-up, Adrianna said, "No. My business with Lucian is over. Turns out, he couldn't help me with Rodchenko after all. Besides, even if he _was_ still in the picture, I still wouldn't take him to my best friend's party. He's just someone I worked with."

Maggie's eyes turned softer then, betraying her lie hadn't worked...and that she now knew that whatever was going on with her, it had to do with Lucian Nox.

"I have to go," she rushed before Maggie would start questioning her. "I still have to buy your present."

"Adrianna-"

"Please," she sighed, shaking her head softly. "Don't."'

Her friend just stared at her for another long moment...and then nodded and said, "See you tonight."

Adrianna shot her a grateful smile before rushing out of the warm store, back into the storm, immediately breaking into a run, scolding herself over the fact that Maggie had needed mere minutes to see right though her. She would have to pick up her game if she wanted to get through the night without a million questions from her family. They couldn't know about Lucian. They'd kill him if they knew what he'd done to her. Okay, maybe not kill, but _definitely_ hurt. That idea _should_ thrill her...but it didn't. The thought of him getting hurt still felt like a punch to the kidneys...

God...why couldn't she hate him?

 _Forget about that now,_ she thought, picking up her pace. _Just focus on getting through tonight, on acting normal._

 _No one can know what happened._

 _No one can know something's wrong._

* * *

"Something's wrong."

Elena's lips curled as she handed her handsome husband a fresh glass of champagne before kissing his cheek lovingly.

"The only thing that's wrong, is the fact that we were three hours late," she said, feeling herself blush as she added on a whisper, "Although it was time well spend."

Damon wiggled his eyebrows as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer against him. Even after twenty-seven years, he still did that whenever they were together, holding her as if he was afraid she would slip away if he didn't; as if he couldn't _not_ touch her.

"That's a really nice dress," Damon said, his lips brushing over her ear. "I can't wait to rip it of you later."

She took in a sharp breath, slapping his chest. "We're at a party, mister Salvatore. Your children are here. Behave...At least for a few hours."

He laughed, softly biting her neck, making her entire being tingle as her mind flooded with memories. A few years ago, she never would've dared dream that Damon would ever bite her. Since that night on the road many years ago, when he'd almost accidentally drained her, he'd vowed never to bite her again...but then she'd become a vampire and she'd been able to show him just how amazing a bite could feel. Ever since then, _not_ biting each other when they made love had become an exception.

"Are you wearing that lace Body I bought you in Venice?" he whispered against her skin.

She felt her cheeks heat as she turned in his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. "No, they're still in the house in Paris, where you left them underneath the stairs."

His eyes twinkled mischievously at the memory, his hands finding that dip right above her behind.

"But I promise you'll like what I have on underneath this," she whispered back, bringing her lips to his ear before she breathed, "Nothing whatsoever."

"Oh for the love of God," a familiar voice suddenly broke through her lust, making her cheeks flush even more, this time in embarrassment. "Mom, dad, seriously, when will you two learn your sons are vampires and can hear every word you're saying?!"

Mortified, Elena glanced back over her shoulder and found their youngest son leaning back against a tree on the other side of the decorated garden, glaring at them.

"Sorry, Ash," Damon said as Elena buried her red face in his neck. "It's all your mom's fault, though. She has such a depraved mind I-"

Elena covered her husband's mouth, giggling as she heard Asher whisper, "Incorrigible."

When Asher struck up a conversation with another guest, Elena pulled back from Damon's neck, biting her lip. "I think we might've scarred our children."

Damon cast her a warm smile, tucking a curl behind her ear. "They grew up with two parents who love each other. They're fine."

"Maybe we should've fought more," Elena teased. "You know, scream at each other every once in a while."

"If memory serves, there was-and still is-plenty of screaming," he rumbled, making her blush deepen. "We just soundproofed our houses well enough so the kids wouldn't hear."

Elena laughed again, pressing a sweet kiss to her husband's lips. He always made her laugh, every single day...and she never took that for granted. There had been a time when she _never_ laughed, when there was no joy in her life, when all she did was run and hide from Niklaus Mikaelson...and then, Damon Salvatore had come along and he'd changed _everything_.

"Now," Damon said, glancing over her shoulder. "Speaking of our gorgeous kids, I swear, Adrianna _is_ acting strange."

Elena followed his eyes to Adrianna, who was standing by a table stacked with presents, talking to Maggie's mom, sipping from her glass.

"The only thing I see is proof of our dazzling genes." When she kissed his jaw and he didn't react, she sighed and added in a serious voice, "Okay, I'm listening. Why do you think something's wrong with our daughter?

"That's her fourth drink since we got here. Who knows how many she had before that."

"It's a party, sweetie."

"I know that, but Adrianna never drinks that much. You know how she feels about losing control."

"I wonder who she got _that_ from."

Damon pinched her hip, shooting her a little smile. "I'm just saying, it's unlike her, Love. And there's something about her smile, too. It's-"

"-a little forced?"

His lips twitched. "So, you've noticed something's wrong too, huh?"

"Off course, I have. I was planning on getting her alone at some point tonight and ask her about it, but I haven't had a change yet."

"Well," Damon rumbled, grabbing her hand. "Until you do, how about a dance, misses Salvatore?"

She sighed dramatically. "If I must."

He laughed as he pressed his wife against his chest, moving to the beat of the slow song that blasted through the speakers in the trees. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, her eyes landed on her wedding band and matching Daylight-ring, making her heart jump. Whenever she looked at those two pieces of jewelry, she saw Damon in that amazing tuxedo, waiting for her down the aisle with their newborn son in his arms. Their little Killian. She remembered walking towards her two boys, thinking back on everything they'd been through to get there. There had been so many close calls; moments when one of them had lost the other and yet, somehow, they'd made it. She was married to Damon Salvatore; had his children; and would spend eternity in his arms.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?" she whispered.

"A few times," he growled, dipping her, his blue eyes glistening on hers. "But I could always hear it again."

She smiled as he pressed her back against his chest, her lips only inches from his as she breathed, "I love you, Damon Salvatore."

"You better-" he rumbled, pressing his forehead to hers. "-because I honestly can't imagine a world without you in it. You know that, don't you?"

She nodded, brushing her fingers through his raven hair. "I know. And you'll never have to. I'm here, Damon Salvatore. You're stuck with me. Forever."

He smiled, his arms tightening around her. "I can live with that."

"Oh, can you?" she snickered. "How very benevolent off-"

He kissed the words from her lips and she drowned in his kiss, in his touch, in the warmth that seeped from his every pore. It was an amazing feeling to be held like her husband held her; touched like he touched her; to feel just how deeply she was loved. She could only pray he felt like that too whenever she held him, kissed him. She could only pray he knew how deeply he was loved in return. She told him every day, but no words could truly express the depth of her love for the man in her arms. Not that this would stop her from telling him.

Repeatedly.

Every day.

For the rest of their immortal lives together.

* * *

Adrianna finished off another glass of champagne, feeling the alcohol taking effect. She really shouldn't drink so much, she knew this...but she feared it was the only thing that was going to get her through this night. Not that she wasn't happy to see her parents again, to spend time with her brothers...but her mind still always wandered back to _him_. Everything reminded her off him in some way. Like, right now, she really tried to focus on the story Asher was telling, but her eyes kept finding her parents, dancing in the middle of the garden, holding each other close...and in an instant, her mind flashed back to her own dance with _him_. How was it possible that only a few hours ago, everything had still been so perfect. Being in his arms, breathing him in...It had felt _so_ right.

Nothing had prepared her for what would follow.

"I need another drink," she said, seeing herself stand in his loft again, half naked, rejected and hurt. "I'll be right back."

Asher just shot her a worried look, but continued telling his story to the other bystanders.

As she made her way to the house, she didn't fail to notice that there were still plenty of perfectly good bottles of champagne outside, but she had to get out of there, away from the crowd. She needed a moment to stop acting, a moment to pull herself together.

 _Drinking was a bad idea,_ a voice scolded in her head as she flipped on the light in the kitchen and almost lost her balance. She hated this; this feeling of not being in control of her own body, which was strange, since she hadn't been in control of it for a while now. Lucian was her own personal brand of alcohol, making her knees wobble; making her lose her head.

"Stop thinking about him," she hissed softly, running her hands over her black dress. "Please. Just stop. Just-"

Another door in the kitchen slammed open, giving way to Killian...although she had to look twice to make sure it was actually her eldest brother. Normally, Killian was always spotless; his suit was always neat, his dark hair gelled back, his face perfectly groomed and stoic. But now...

"You okay, Killian?" Adrianna asked, frowning at his unbottoned jacket and the black tie he'd messily loosened to pop the top button of his shirt.

He actually looked startled for a second, as if he hadn't noticed her until then, which was odd since Kilian was always on high alert.

Always.

"I'm fine," he growled, running his palms over his dark hair, trying to force the raven mess back.

Without avail.

She wasn't used to seeing Killian so _ruffled_. It was actually a pretty disturbing sight.

"You don't smell anymore," he suddenly growled.

Adrianna sniffed. "I didn't want mom and dad to worry, so I asked Maggie for help."

"Right," he rumbled, his Adam's apple bouncing. "Good idea."

Adrianna leaned back against the counter, her eyebrows pulled together as she noticed Killian's hands fist by his thighs, his eyes everywhere but on her.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay? You're not acting like yourself."

"Neither are you," he shot back, a silent warning in his eyes. He wouldn't ask her about _her_ behavior if she didn't ask him about _his_.

She could live with that deal.

For now.

"I have to go," Killian said, buttoning up his jacket again.

"Fine. Breakfast tomorrow?"

"No, I mean I'm leaving town."

"Right now?!" she huffed. "You just got here."

"I know," he growled. "But-"

"And we didn't even get to spend any time-"

"I know, Adrianna," He cut her off, his jaw setting. "But I'll see you soon anyway. Your birthday's coming up."

"That's still months away! Can't you just stay and-"

"No!" he barked, pinching his nose. "Damn it, I can't-"

"Are you two hiding in here?"

Killian trailed off when their mother walked into the room, casting them both one of her sweet smiles.

"We're not hiding," her brother said, kissing his mother on the cheek. "In fact, I'm leaving."

"Now?"

"I just heard about a group of Forsaken kicking up trouble in Amsterdam."

 _That's a lie._

Adrianna didn't know how she knew that. She just did. Maybe she'd been lying herself so much lately that she could now spot a liar from a mile away.

"You shouldn't go alone," her mom said, worried. "We'll come with you-"

"No", he cut her off. "It's just a rumor. I'll go check it out and if there's any truth to it, I'll call."

He shot them both a little smile that never reached his eyes and then walked away without another word.

"I should probably go, too," Adrianna said, pushing the glass of champagne she'd poured away. "I'm feeling a little light-headed and I should really hit the sack if I want to wake up not feeling like someone took a sledgehammer to my head."

"Nonsense," her mom said, waving her hand dismissively. "You're a Salvatore. We don't get hangovers."

"Maybe not the vampires, but the human isn't so lucky. Goodnight, mom." She kissed her mother on the cheek before making a break for the exit. Being around her mother made her guards come down...and she couldn't have that. Those guard were the only thing that stood between her and a breakdown...

"Are you sure that's why you're leaving?"

Adrianna stopped in her tracks, swallowing hard, feeling how sore her throat still was. Her heart racing, she quickly checked if the red silk scarf was still firmly in place, hiding the purple bruises. Her mom couldn't see the damage to her throat. It was pretty obvious how she'd gotten them and if she found out she'd almost been chocked to death by someone, she would want to know the whole story...and that story included Lucian.

Putting on her most convincing smile, she turned back to face her mother, singing, "Off course. Why else would I leave?"

Her mom shrugged, watching her closely. "You tell me."

 _Don't._

"Are you getting nervous about turning twenty-five?" she asked, fishing. "About becoming Immortal."

"God, no. Not at all. I want to be part of the family."

"You _are_ part of the family."

"I know," she rushed. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant there's not a doubt in my mind that I will become a vampire, like you guys. I'm not nervous about that."

"Than what _is_ wrong, sweetheart?"

She huffed, opening her mouth to say she was fine, but before she could, her mom continued,

"And don't tell me nothing's wrong. You're my daughter. I can tell. And so can your father."

Adrianna let out a deep breath. "Look, mom, you're right, okay. Something _is_ going on...but I _really_ don't want to talk about it."

Her mother smiled for some reason, a spark in her eyes she didn't understand.

"Did I say something funny?"

"No," her mom chimed, hopping up on the counter. "But now I know it's about a guy."

She felt her cheeks flush, giving her away. "What? No, it's not about-"

"You know I can hear your heartbeat, right?"

Adrianna sighed, leaning back against the fridge. "It's not what you think."

"What do I think?"

She cocked a meaningful eyebrow at her mother, making her smile widen.

"Lucian and I-"

"Lucian," her mom sang. "Strong name."

Adrianna mumbled in agreement.

"So, nothing romantic?"

Adrianna tucked a curl behind her ear, suddenly feeling his lips on hers again; his hands in her hair; his fingers-

"No," she said, trying to calm down her heart. "We worked together on a case, but I just ended the collaboration-"

"You did? Why?"

"Well, because he's a rude, annoying, arrogant, unpredictable Alpha-male assho-"

"So, you fell for him, huh?"

"Ha," she exclaimed, her cheeks turning even redder. "Did you not just hear me say he's basically the biggest bastard I've ever met? How could I possibly fall for someone like that?!"

"I asked myself that same question many years ago."

"You did?"

She nodded. "When I met your father, he and I didn't exactly hit it off right away, either."

"Really?"

Her parents were always together, always so in love... She couldn't imagine them _not_ getting along.

"God no. That man could make my blood boil like no one else. He still can sometimes. But that's a good thing."

"It is?"

Her mom nodded, her eyes piercing hers. "You only argue with those you care enough about to argue with; those who get under your skin, behind your walls."

Adrianna huffed, hugging herself. "He didn't get _under_ or _behind_ anything. He's just someone I worked with."

"And yet, we're in Maggie's kitchen, talking about him."

"Because you insisted."

"Oh please, Adrianna," her mom laughed. "If you didn't want to talk about this, we wouldn't be talking. You're as stubborn as your father."

Adrianna sniffed, shaking her head. "You know _he_ always says I'm as stubborn as _you_ , right?"

Her mother smiled that endearing smile, hopping back off the counter. "The point is, I know you, sweetheart. If this Lucian got under your skin, you're probably doing everything in your power to push him away, but take it from someone who tried to do the same thing a long time ago-"

"You're wrong," Adrianna cut her off, swallowing hard. "That man means nothing to me. And I'm fine."

"You're fine?"

Adrianna nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. Honestly."

Her mother's eyebrows knotted together even tighter before she said, "Okay then. If you say so."

"I do."

"I just want you to be happy, baby."

"I know," she whispered, smiling. She wanted to tell her she _was_ happy, reassure her...but she couldn't get the words passed her lips.

When Adrianna left that kitchen and joined the rest of her family back in the garden, she actually felt relieved. She thought she'd fooled her mother; she thought she'd successfully hidden what was going on with her.

Little did she know that later, after her parents had said goodbye to her and left, her mom would turn to her dad on their drive back home and say,

"We were right. Something's wrong with Adrianna and it's even worse than we thought...Our daughter's in love."

* * *

"I am _so_ drunk."

Adrianna laughed, leaning into the tree Maggie and her were sitting against. Everyone had left and the yard was pretty much wrecked...but neither of them had the strength yet to get up and do something about it.

"I've noticed," Adrianna snickered. "I've never seen you drink that much."

"You should talk."

She rolled her eyes, taking another sip from the large glass of water she'd been nursing. "I know. I'm so going to regret this night in the morning."

"Yeah, you and me both."

"Hey," Adrianna whispered, frowning at the sudden sadness in Maggie's eyes. "Tonight was great, Mags. Everyone had fun, the music was great and the food was just amazing."

Her friend cast her a little smile, but there was still something off about it.

"I'm pretty sure Asher has taken one of your friends back to some hotel, though, for which I apologize."

She let out a little laugh, finishing her glass of champagne. "Don't worry about it. What do you expect when you invite the Salvatores to a party."

Adrianna nudged her side, huffing in feigned offense. "I beg your pardon, missy! Asher is the only slut in the family! _I'm_ a virgin, remember! And Killian is always on the road, fighting Forsaken, so I don't think he has time to sleep around! I mean, he can't even come to a party without having to chase out of town in the middle and-"

"He left town?"

Adrianna nodded, putting her glass down on the ground. "He says he got a call about a group of Forsaken in Amsterdam."

"He went to Amsterdam?" Maggie snorted, shaking her head and Adrianna could've sworn she heard her mumble " _unbelievable"_ , but she couldn't be sure.

"God," Adrianna groaned, rubbing her eyes. "I should go and get some sleep. I have an appointment with my sergeant today."

"You do? Is he lifting your suspension?"

Adrianna shrugged, getting up. "I don't know. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I can't think of any other reason why he should want to talk to me."

"Maybe he found out you're still investigating Rodchenko."

"I wouldn't know _how_. I've been careful."

"Maybe-" Maggie trailed off, shaking her head.

"Maybe what?" Adrianna asked, frowning as she helped her friend pick up glasses that were scattered across the garden.

"Nothing," the blond said, waving her hand dismissively. "Never mind."

"Oh, come on, Mags. Since when do you hold back with me?"

She cast her a little warm smile, doubt still in her eyes.

"Spit it out, Maggie."

"I was just thinking that maybe...Lucian ratted you out."

Adrianna's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. How was it possible that now that she was determined not to think about him, everyone around her felt the need to bring him up every five seconds?

"He wouldn't do that," Adrianna said with an irrational certainty. How could she possibly be so sure that Lucian wouldn't betray her? It's not like he was above hurting her.

 _I don't do virgins._

"Are you sure?" Maggie asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I mean, I've only met the man twice, but he didn't really seem like a trustworthy-"

"I'm sure," she snapped, hating herself for getting angry. She shouldn't care that Maggie was insulting him. If anything, she should join the party...but she couldn't.

"Okay, got it," her friend said, raising her hands defensively."Sorry."

"No, _I'm_ sorry," Adrianna sighed after a tense minute of silence. "I didn't mean to bite your head off. I just...want to change the subject."

Maggie smiled again, handing her a trash bag before she asked in a kind voice, "Are you ever going to tell me what he did?"

Adrianna swallowed hard, her eyes dropping to the grass. "Probably. But not tonight."

"Okay, fine," Maggie said, winking. "Besides, it's me, remember. I never run out of things to talk about."

Adrianna laughed and spend the rest of their clean-up listening to Maggie ranting about the party and how much she enjoyed seeing the people they'd left in Italy again. She knew Maggie missed Italy, missed their home, but she never complained. She knew it would make Adrianna feel guilty. After all, it had been her idea to leave, to spread her wings for a few years.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" Maggie asked when they finally said their goodbyes. "I have a very comfortable couch."

"I know, but a walk will do me some good."

Maggie laughed, hugging her. "Next time, maybe switch to water a little sooner."

Adrianna sniffed, grabbing her purse. "I'm not _that_ drunk."

She cocked a skeptical eyebrow. "Whatever you say. Just call me when you get home so I know you got there safe."

"Yes, mom."

She left then, the sound of Maggie's laughter echoing through the night.

"I'm serious, though! Call!"

Adrianna waved her hand without looking back, signaling she'd heard and then turned the corner, taking her usual route back to her apartment. It was a soft night out, perfect for a walk. The little black dress she'd worn to the party was a little _too_ light for this weather, but with all the alcohol in her blood, she didn't feel the chill.

Three soft beeps floated up from her purse and when Adrianna finally dug up her phone, she saw she'd missed five calls. All from the same person.

Sighing, she stared at the letters on the little screen that formed the name _Gabriel Vasquez_. She knew it wasn't right of her to just ignore him like this, but it also didn't feel right to just go back to working with Vasquez after basically ditching him for... _him_. Besides, it was probably better to work alone from now on. She'd always known Gabriel had a little thing for her, but it was only now that she knew how much rejection could hurt and she didn't wish this kind of pain on anyone. Not that she would ever reject him as cruelly as _he_ had rejected her...but rejection was rejection. She was doing Vasquez a favor, although he probably didn't see it that way.

 _You should call him, to at least let him know you're not going to be working with him again. You can't just ignore-_

Adrianna's thoughts trailed off when she turned into the last alley before she was home...and she saw her.

A woman.

Lying on the cold stones.

The glow from the streetlights barely touched her...but Adrianna could see enough to know she was in serious trouble.

Dropping everything, she rushed over to the body, falling on her knees beside her, her pulse racing as she let her eyes take in the woman before her. Her blond hair was smeared with red, her body stabbed so many times her pink dress was barely still there. She had to have been wearing shoes at some point, but they were no longer on her feet and the material of her stockings was sliced so viciously it was hardly noticeable between the blood and lacerations.

"Oh God," she croaked, her hands hovering over the girl's body afraid to touch. "Oh, God. What-"

A loud, labored gasp cut her off, making Adrianna's heart stop.

 _She's alive._

For a short second, her mind couldn't process that the destroyed body in front of her still had a soul in it...but when she finally caught up, she sprung into action. Quickly looking over the girl's body, she tried to assess which wounds had to be seen to most urgently. Jerking the scarf from her neck, she tied it above the deepest cut in her thigh, trying to slow down the girl's blood loss...but she knew it wouldn't help for long. Whoever had done this to her, had sliced straight through the femoral artery, making sure his victim would bleed out in a matter of minutes.

 _A matter of minutes..._

 _Her attacker couldn't have gotten far._

For a moment, she moved to get up...but then the woman's swollen, terrified eyes shot open, looking up at her through the cut and purple skin.

"It's okay," Adrianna said, turning back to her. "I'm right here. You're going to be fine. Just hold-" She trailed off when she felt something cold touch her legs, her eyes flickering down to the puddle of blood the girl was lying in. A puddle that grew bigger and bigger.

The scarf wasn't helping.

Switching gears, Adrianna moved her hands to her cut thigh, pressing them down on the gash, making the woman scream out.

"I know," Adrianna whimpered, feeling the warm liquid seep through her fingers. "I know it hurts. I'm sorry."

The girl kept crying softly, but Adrianna knew this was all she could do. Just like she knew it wouldn't be enough. The wound she was pressing down on was one of _so_ many. This girl had been stabbed all over. It was a miracle that she still lived...

Somewhere in the back of Adrianna's mind, something was pushing to come to the surface, to make her see...but she was too focused on saving this girl to let it sink in. She couldn't think of anything but trying to stabilize her, trying to keep her alive...

A shadow moved passed the entrance of the alley and at once, Adrianna screamed at whoever was there to call 911. She could see the figure stop and then heard a female voice talking at a hurried pace.

"Help is coming," Adrianna said, hearing her voice tremble. "Do you hear me? Hold on. You'll be fine."

She could see in the girl's eyes that she didn't believe her.

And she was right not to. She was injured too severely.

 _You can't save her,_ a soft voice whispered in her mind, trying to prepare her.

But she refused to listen.

 _I don't have to safe her! I just have to keep her alive long enough for the ambulance to get here so_ they _can save her._

"What's your name?" Adrianna asked, her arms trembling from the force she was using to keep the girl from bleeding out.

"Lana," the girl gurgled.

"Lana," Adrianna repeated. "Who did this to you, Lana?"

She parted her lips to speak again, but before she could, she started coughing, blood trickling down from her mouth. Whoever had stabbed her, had pierced her lungs.

 _She's drowning in her own blood._

 _Shut up!_

"Who did this to you, Lana?!" she asked again, feeling a teardrop slip down her cheek. "Tell me so I can make him pay for this."

The girl's eyes found hers again, her lips trembling. Adrianna could see she was trying to speak, but she no longer had the strength...

Leaning in, she rested her ear right above the girl's mouth, closing her eyes, focusing every sense only on her faint voice.

And then, after a long heartbeat...she heard it.

The one name that haunted her.

"Dimitri."

Her blood running cold, Adrianna forgot how to breath, watching the girl with renewed eyes.

Her physical appearance.

The stab wounds.

The brutality.

How did she not make that connection earlier?

This was _his_ M.O.

 _Rodchenko_.

This was him to a tee.. Except...Adrianna had memorized that fucker's file and there was never any blood at the crime scene, which meant he never killed the girls where he dumped them. Until now. Why would he do that? Why would he change his M.O.? Why would he-

"Mom?"

Adrianna swallowed back tears as she heard Lana's faint voice call out for her mother.

"Where the hell is that ambulance?!" She screamed at the shadow who still stood in the entrance. "This woman needs-"

The words melted on her lips when she heard the faintest exhale of breath. No inhale followed.

"Lana?" Adrianna whispered, staring into the girl's vacant eyes. "Lana!"

The girl didn't react. She was...gone. Just like that.

Letting go of the her thigh, Adrianna just stared into the night. She'd never actually seen someone die; had never actually been there when their soul left their body. She'd seen victims in crime scenes, in morgues...but _this_ was different. _This_ was worse. She couldn't move. It felt as if her brain had short-circuited and needed to be rebooted...but she had no idea how to do that.

She felt far away from my body, far away from reality and what was happening around her. Information came in slow, but her reaction to it was dull. Around her, everything moved in fast-forward while she was motionless in the middle of it all. She heard the police come, watched as the ambulance took Lana away, but she just stayed on her knees, her bloody, trembling hands hovering into the air. It felt as though she'd been paralyzed by some unseen, mind numbing force. Thoughts flew discordantly through her mind as she tried and failed to comprehend what had just happened.

A cop crouched down before her and she could tell by his expression that she looked as distraught as she felt. He started to ask her questions and she answered them, but it was an automatism, something she'd done so many times in her line of work that she needn't think about it. She was acting on autopilot, talking while she saw that girl die over and over again; as she heard her whisper his name.

 _Dimitri._

She told the police about the name, but she knew it would make no difference. It wasn't enough evidence. There were many Dimitri's... But not in her world. In her world there was only one. And he'd just killed another girl. Because she didn't stop him in time. Lana's blood was on her hands and not just in the literal sense.

Swallowing hard, she pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes until she saw nothing but sparkles, feeling the cold blood that stuck to her palms smear her face. But she didn't care.

The cop helped her on her feet, steadying her when her legs gave in for a second. She registered that he asked her to go with the ambulance, but she just dislodged from his grip and walked away in a daze. She had no idea where she was going, but her legs seemed to know, so she just followed. Inside, she felt...empty. Like someone had reached in and hollowed her out. She felt so much and yet, nothing at the same time; as if her mind and body had no idea how to deal with everything and instead had just decided to shut down. She could see the few people she passed watching her with wide eyes, but her legs never slowed down. She just kept going, not knowing where she was going or why she was going there...but she was beyond caring. Wherever her body was taking her, she didn't have the strength to fight.

So, she just...walked, following an instinct she didn't even know she had.

* * *

Hades laid in bed, staring up at his ceiling. It was almost three in the morning and as he'd expected, he hadn't slept a wink. His mind was too full.

Full of her.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw her; felt her; tasted her...

Cursing, Hades threw off the sheets, sitting up on the edge of his bed, clutching his hair.

 _Please, Lucian, I can't lose you! I can't! Please! I love you!_

"She doesn't know what she's saying," he growled at the empty room. "She doesn't know how much it will hurt; to have memories of us together and having to say goodbye."

 _So it doesn't matter that given the choice, she chose to be with you; to make those memories even though you can't stay?_

"I'm protecting her from herself!"

 _Maybe that's not your call._

Hades shook his head, trying to get rid of that ache in his chest that begged him to listen to his inner demon. He didn't like the fact that that fucking demon was starting to make more and more sense. He was just a month in his mission, for God's sake. And what was even worse, he wasn't even close to wrapping up. It was pretty clear by now that there was only one spell powerful enough to hide Adrianna from a handful of Gods and it just had to be the only fucking spell that was encrypted. He still had six and a half months left before his deadline, he knew this, but the thought of spending that much time here alone, with Adrianna only a flew blocks away from him and that demon in his head not giving up, made him fear he wouldn't be strong enough. He was already constantly one moment of weakness away from giving up and giving into her.

"You have to find the fucking key to that codex. Quickly. The quicker you find it, the quicker you can crawl back to the darkness you came from and the quicker-"

The sound of his front door slamming shut made Hades' thoughts halt, his senses on high alert again. Now that Adrianna wasn't living in the house anymore, he'd send the guards to her apartment building to keep a covert eye on her, which meant it couldn't be any of _them_ entering.

Slipping on his pants, Hades left his room, seeing red.

Stalking down the staircase, he glared at the shadow that stood in the middle of his hallway, unmoving.

"You chose the wrong night to break into my home," he growled, balling his hands into tight fists. "I'm not in the mood to be fucked with and you-"

He stopped in his tracks, his heart hammering in his chest when he was finally close enough to see who the shadow was. The darkness still covered her, but he would recognize that silhouette anywhere.

"Adria-" he stopped himself, remembering he was supposed to be an asshole to her. "Detective. You better have a damned good reason to be breaking into my house in the middle of the night."

She didn't speak; didn't move. She just…stood there. And for some reason, that made a chill run up Hades' spine.

"If you're here as some sort of payback for last night-" he said, moving to switch on the light. "-you should know that-"

All words left him the second his chandelier flipped on and he got a good look at the woman standing underneath it.

"Jesus Christ," he exhaled, stalking over to her, his eyes wide as he took in the sight before him.

There was blood everywhere.

On her pale face, in her hair, on her arms and hands. Even on her legs.

"Jesus Christ," he gnarled again, his heart slamming against his ribs like a bird trying to get out of its cage. "Cara, what happened?!"

No answer.

"Did someone hurt you?!"

She didn't even look at him. She was just staring into nothing, her eyes vacant.

 _She's in shock._

Cupping her face, Hades tried to make her see him; tried to make her focus, but even when her eyes touched his, he could tell she wasn't there.

"Adrianna, baby, please!" he yelled. "I need you to answer me! _Are you hurt_?!"

Nothing.

Her hands shaking was the only sign that she was even still in there.

Cursing, Hades lifted her of the floor and cradled her in his arms, racing back up the stairs; back into his bedroom, only putting her down when they were in his bathroom. Without missing a beat, he took of her dress. Under any other circumstances, he would've relished in seeing her in that skimpy lingerie set, but not now. Now, all he was interested in, was getting her back to her normal self.

Picking her up again, he carried her into the shower, turning on the water as he put her back down. Ever drop that touched her turned crimson, washing away the blood that clung to her raven hair and cold skin.

Frantically, Hades ran his hands over every inch of her bare skin; checking everywhere for injuries…but there were none. There wasn't even any blood where her dress had been, which could only mean-

 _It's not her blood._

He knew it was wrong to feel relief over that fact, but that's what he felt anyway. It wasn't her blood. She was okay. At least, physically.

Brushing his hands over her face, he cleaned the last traces of blood from her cheeks and then waited until the water that fell from her skin and hair was once again clear instead of red. When it finally was, he carried her back out of the shower, grabbed two towels and a robe and then made his way back to his bedroom, where it was warmer.

Setting her back down on her feet, he wrapped the first towel around her to make sure she was warm and then used the other to dry her hair before using it to dry himself.

When he was done and he slipped the robe on her, a fresh wave of panic washed over him. She hadn't objected when he'd taken off her dress; her eyes were still glazed over and even though she was now dry, she was still shivering.

Something had broken his girl.

"Adrianna," he growled, cupping her cheeks. "Baby, come back to me."

Nothing.

"Cara, Tell me what happened. Tell me, so I can make whoever is responsible pay."

Finally, those blue eyes touched his and she actually _saw_ him.

 _There she is,_ he thought, tucking a wet curl behind her ear.

"Cara-"

" _I'm_ responsible," she whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek. "It's my fault."

He frowned, wiping away the salty drop. " _What_ is your fault, baby?"

She took in a sharp breath, whispering, "I killed a girl."

His heart broke at the pain in her eyes. "What?"

"I killed her," she repeated, her eyes widening. "Oh God, I killed that girl. I-" She trailed off, her breath coming out in short, labored pant; her eyes flooding with tears; her eyebrows knotting together as she clutched her chest.

 _She's having a panic attack._

"Adrianna, calm down," he tried to sooth. "Whatever happened, I'm sure you had no choice!"

He reached out for her, but she backed away, hyperventilating. If she didn't get her breathing under control soon, she was going to pass out.

"Damn it," he growled, grabbing her hand and pressing it down over his heart. "Cara, do you feel that?"

She looked at him again, still struggling to breath.

"I'm here, Cara. I'm here with you. You're okay."

Her eyes softened on his as her pulse slowly returned to a normal pace.

"Keep breathing, baby," he whispered. "You're okay. Keep breathing."

She stared at him for another long minute, catching her breath and then, those tears returned, slipping down her skin.

"Ssssshhhhhhh," he soothed, holding her palm pressed against his chest as he brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. "You're okay."

"It's _my_ fault," she croaked, softly shaking her head. "I should've stopped him sooner. I should've stopped him."

"Stopped who?" As soon as the question was out of his mouth, he knew the answer. "Rodchenko. Jesus fuck. He killed another girl. And you found her?"

"I couldn't save her," she whispered, not hearing him. "I tried...but there were too many wounds. I couldn't stop them all from bleeding."

"She was still alive when you found her? God, baby-"

"I killed her."

"No!" Hades gnarled, his eyes piercing hers. "This is _not_ your fault. _You_ did not kill her. Rodchenko did."

She opened her mouth to object, but no more words made it passed those beautiful lips.

"You should get some rest," he whispered, guiding her to his bed.

When he pulled the sheets back, she immediately slipped under them, curling into herself as he draped the covers over her.

Letting out a deep sigh, Hades pulled the chair, that stood in the corner, to the bed, sinking down in it.

"It really wasn't your fault, Adrianna," he rumbled. "Rodchenko is a psychopath."

She stared at him for another long moment and then closed her eyes without another word. It took her only a few minutes before she finally drifted to sleep and once she did, he tried to follow her lead...but he couldn't. Even in sleep, she had a profound and immediate effect on his body. He shouldn't have put her in his bed. He'd dreamt about her in there too many times; beneath him, on top of him, even simply falling asleep in his arms.

Groaning, he once again realized he would never be able to be around her and not feel this; this lust, this love. It was always there, crawling in his blood and it was even worse now that he'd tasted her.

She continued to sleep, curled in a ball, buried deep under the covers, her long hair spread out on the pillow beneath her. Even in the dim moonlight that reached across the room, her black locks gleamed. He wanted to gather them in his hands, bury his nose in it, breath her in. But he knew it wouldn't suffice; he knew it would only make him lose control. What he _wanted_ to do; what he _truly_ wanted to do, was a hell of a lot more than breath her in. He knew he should leave that room and spend another painful night thinking of her somewhere else. _This_ was unnecessary torture.

But he didn't want her to be alone. Not while she was in this state.

So he stayed...like the masochist that he was.

* * *

 _Mom._

Adrianna woke with a soft gasp, her heart racing, her mind a jumble. It felt like she was waking for a deep sleep, even though she didn't remember ever even going to bed. The last thing she remembered, was-

She shook her head, trying to shake the memory of Lana dying in her arms...but something told her that was a memory she would _never_ be able to shake.

Rubbing her damp forehead, Adrianna sat up straight, only then noticing she wasn't lying in her own bed. What the hell had happened after Lana had died? Had someone picked her up? Had the police brought her somewhere?

Confused, she peered into the dark room, trying to make anything out...and the second her eyes adjusted, her pulse sped up even more. She didn't recognize the room, but she sure as hell recognized the man sitting in the chair beside her.

 _Lucian?_ _What is_ he _doing here?_ _What am_ I _doing here?_ _And where exactly is_ here _?_

He was sleeping soundly, his head resting against the hard back of the wooden chair. He couldn't possibly be comfortable sleeping like that...and yet, he was. She was lying _in a bed_ and he was sitting in a rock hard chair beside her.

Why would he do that?

Even though she tried to fight it, her eyes slipped down from his face to his bare chest. And speaking of rock hard...

Shaking her head, she reminded herself of the night before, of what he'd done; what he'd said...but it didn't ease the fire in her. Even though she should hate him, she had to stop herself from waking him up and finishing what they'd started in his penthouse the night before. It would be so easy to let go, to surrender to him again-

 _And be turned down again?_ a voice snarled in her mind. _Be humiliated? Be-_

The voice was cut short when he moved in his sleep and a gleam of moonlight touched his chest; touched the crystal that still hung around his neck. She suspected he always wore that thing, even beneath his beautiful suits. Why was it so significant to him? Had he been that close to his great aunt? It seemed unlikely since he made it clear he wasn't exactly tight with his family. Or maybe it was a symbol of his heritage; of being a gypsy. Either way, it was strange that a rough man like him wore anything so sentimental. He never showed any emotion with her. At least, nothing so soft and sweet. He was always angry, rough, hard-

 _Mean._

Sighing softly, Adrianna's eyes stayed on the crystal and slowly, she felt herself falling into it. She only now realized she'd never really taken a good look at it and now that she was, she saw how exquisite the jewel actually was. It wasn't just solid black. It was...alive. The darkness in it swirled, pulling her in, hypnotizing her. She felt her fingers reach out, wanting to touch, to feel-

 _I love you, Adrianna Salvatore._

With a jolt, Adrianna pulled her hand back, her heart beating in her throat. His eyes were still closed, he was still sleeping...so why had she heard his voice so vividly, it was as if he'd actually said those three little words to her?

 _Because you're pathetic?_

She shook her head, trying to push down everything she'd felt when she'd hallucinated him saying _that_ to her. She shouldn't feel _any_ of those things. She should hate him, not imagine him professing his love for her.

Scolding herself, she slid over to the other side of the bed and quietly tiptoed out of the room, making sure he didn't wake. She didn't want to speak with him, didn't want to see those captivating eyes.

Softly, she closed the door behind her...and then she finally recognized where she was.

 _What am I doing in his house?_

She ran her fingers through her hair-her _wet_ hair-and only then noticed the fluffy robe she was wearing...with nothing but her damp underwear on underneath.

 _Okay, what the hell happened here?_

Confused, she decided to put as much distance between herself and Lucian, quietly making her way throught the hall and down the stairs, her mind aching, as if it tried to remember something, but couldn't quiet get there.

At least, not until she saw her purse and shoes lying forgotten by the front door, tiny smears of blood surrounding them.

That's when the memory finally came back, a memory of walking down the street in complete shock, not knowing where she was going; a memory of breaking into his house and then, Lucian, finding her, cradling her to his chest, washing away the blood she'd been covered in with such tenderness...all the while calling her _baby_ and _Cara_.

She rubbed her forehead, her mind a jumble. It didn't have the capacity to deal with Lucian's fickle behavior right now. She was already one push away from breaking down completely and she feared that if she let herself hope anything could _ever_ change between them and he would _crush_ that hope again, she wouldn't come back it.

Grabbing her purse, she dug for her cellphone to check the time and noticed three missed calls from Maggie.

 _Crap, I promised to call when I got home,_ she remembered with a start, hitting redial. _She's probably worried out of her-_

"Adrianna?! Thank God!" her friend _screamed_ in her ear. "Are you okay?!"

"I...don't really know," she answered honestly, glancing up the stairs. He was up there, sleeping... A few hours ago, she'd sworn that she was done with him and yet, when she was at her worst and most vulnerable, her subconscious had brought her here, back to him. She didn't want to get into what the hell _that_ meant.

"God, Adrianna, I was so worried! I swear, I was about to call you parents-"

"You didn't!" she rushed.

"No, no, I didn't, but _where are you_ , Adrianna?"

"I'm-" she trailed off, not wanting to say she was with Lucian. It would bring up too many questions she couldn't answer, even if she wanted to. "-safe. Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"It's a long story."

"I heard _you_ found Lana."

"Yes," she whispered, that memory making her stomach drop. "I...Wait, how do you know that? It _just_ happened. Don't tell me the media already pounced on this like a bunch of vultures-"

"No, they didn't. The police came by about an hour ago."

She frowned, confused. "The police came to _you_? Why?"

"I knew her," Maggie said on the other end of the line, sadness thick in her voice. "She was part of a coven of witches I consult every now and then. She was nice."

Adrianna sighed, rubbing her forehead. "God, I'm sorry, Mags. I still don't get why the cops would come to you so soon after it happened, though. They usually go straight for the next of kin-"

"Well, there was a mix-up. See, I was invited to a midnight gallery-opening a few months ago, but then I started planning my party and since I could only get everyone together on the same night as the opening, I gave my ticket to Lana. It was a invitation by name though, so she could only get in by pretending to be me. The invitation in the envelope with my address on it was the only ID Lana had on her, so the cops came to my place because they thought I was hers."

Adrianna sank back against the wall, numb as she let all of that new information sink in. Her friend had no idea what she'd just said; no idea what it meant...but Adrianna did. She knew exactly what it meant. And just like that, whatever emotions had been swirling through her before, were now all consumed by one emotion and one only.

Rage.

"Maggie," Adrianna snarled, straightening up again. "I need you to lock every door and every window. Do it now."

"What? Adria-"

"Do it now, Margaret!"

She could hear her friend listen to her instructions, heard windows being closed roughly; heard locks click into place as she hurried back upstairs as quietly as she could, this time heading for the room she used to stay in. When she pulled her old closet open and found it still stocked with clothes Lucian had bought for her-under protest-she let out a small sigh of relief.

"Adrianna, what's going on?"

"I can't explain right now. I'm sending someone your way. Don't open the door until he gets there."

"Until who-"

Adrianna hung up, quickly changing into jeans, a black top and a leather jacket before making a beeline for the front door, disappearing back into the darkness.

"Come on, pick up," she hissed into her phone as she speed walked through the night. "Come on, come-"

"Killian Salvatore."

"Killian!" Adrianna yelled, adrenaline and anger coursing through her veins.

"Adrianna?! What's wrong?!"

"Everything! I need you to do something for me!"

"Anything."

"I need you to come back and get Maggie as far away from this town as you possibly can!"

There was a long pause. Too long. She didn't have time to waste.

"Killian?!"

"Yeah, I'm still here," he said, his voice deeper than before. "Look, I'm already pretty far away. If she needs a ride somewhere-"

"She doesn't need a ride! She needs protection! She's in danger, Killian!"

"What?" His voice was so cold the hairs on the back of her neck actually stood up.

"Rodchenko," she explained. "He killed another girl tonight, but he didn't kill the one he intended to kill! He was after Maggie!"

"Are you sure?"

"The girl he killed was pretending to be Maggie to get into a gallery opening! And he changed his M.O! He killed this girl right before I found her! He never does that! He kills them somewhere else and then dumps them like trash! But not this time! I think he was keeping taps on me! He wanted me to find that girl, watch her die! But he meant for me to be holding my dying best friend, not a stranger! _Maggie_ was his intended target and Rodchenko won't be pleased that he fucked up! There's a strong chance he'll go after her again, to get to me! I can't let that happen! I need you, big brother! I know you don't have the same relationship with Maggie as I do, but I love her and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her! I need you to keep her safe, Killian! You're the only one-"

Adrianna could hear tires squealing then, the angry sounds of other cars honking telling her Killian had just made a U-turn, heading back into their direction.

"Thank you," she said, right before she hung up and turned into another alley. There was a chance that by the time Killian got back into town, there wouldn't be anymore need to protect _anyone_ from Rodchenko...but in case something went wrong, at least she knew Maggie would be safe.

Slipping her phone in her jacket, she shrugged the leather off and shoved it behind a dumpster. She would come back for it later, but she could 't risk her phone getting traced before she'd done what needed to be done. Not to mention that she would never get into Rodchenko's club wearing a jacket. The less clothes you wore, the better chance you had of getting in...and she _had_ to get in.

After running her fingers through her-now dry-curls to undo any knots the shower had made, she tugged down the black top so the swell of her breasts were unclad. She didn't have any make-up at hand, but she knew that her anger was coloring her cheeks and lips enough to give them a glow and even though her feet were dying, she was now glad she'd worn high heels to Maggie's party. Every little thing helped at this point. She'd seen the women who frequented Rodchenko's club and even with the boobs and heels, she still worried about her chances of getting in. Those women wore thongs as skirts and bra's as tops. Even if they refused her entry, she would get in, though. It would just be a lot harder.

At four in the morning, the line leading up to Rodchenko's club was significantly shorter than in the beginning of the night, but it was still _too_ long for her taste. The adrenaline pumping through her veins wouldn't let her stand in line for half an hour, at least not without blowing up.

And this is where endless nights of surveilling Rodchenko's club came in handy.

The second she spotted the man who acted as the bouncer this evening, she _knew_ her way in. The man was as straight and butch as they got and she'd seen countless women simply walk up to him, lay a few well-placed touches on his arm and just like that, the velvet rope would open.

Taking in a deep breath, she puffed out her-too exposed-chest and walked straight passed the line of women, oozing confidence. The bouncer clocked her when she was halfway to him and she shot him a dazzling smile that felt wrong on so many levels. She didn't feel like smiling and she certainly didn't feel like smiling at anyone who had _anything_ to do with Rodchenko...but this was what she _had_ to do to finish this. She couldn't let another girl be butchered by that monster.

She wouldn't.

"Hi there," the broad man boomed when she came to a halt in front of him.

She bit her lip, flipping her hair over one shoulder. " Hi."

"I've never seen _you_ here before," he rumbled, his eyes scanning her entire body, making her skin crawl. "I would've remembered."

"You're so sweet," she laughed, slapping his arm...and keeping her hand there, softening her eyes as she sang, "You wouldn't happen to feel like being even sweeter and helping a girl out, would you? My friends are already inside and they're going to kill me if I'm not there to buy the next round of shots."

The man shot her a smile that made her stomach turn, but she somehow managed to smile back, biting her lip again as she playfully rocked back and forth on her heels.

"How can I say no to a fox like you?" he boomed.

"You can't." _At least, that's the plan._

Laughing again, he removed the black velvet rope.

"I get off in two hours-" he rumbled as she passed, his eyes lingering on her boobs. "-and if you wait for me, I'll make sure you do too."

 _Dont. Throw. Up._

Somehow, she managed to push back her gag reflex and smile, even though she felt like ripping his eyes out if they didn't move away from her chest soon.

When she finally made it inside, the music washed over her like a tidal wave, drowning her in sound. The place was packed, just as it was every night, bodies grinding against each other, people drinking overprized drinks...but she wasn't there for any of that. She was there for one reason and one reason alone.

Him.

When she spotted Rodchenko, her heart beat so fast she was sure it could be heard over the music. That blonde bastard was sitting in the VIP area at the very back of the club, drinking, laughing with yet another blond woman. He'd just killed a girl...and he was _laughing_?

Feeling her blood boil, she forced her way through the dancing crowd, heading straight for that monster.

Her palms were sweating, her heart racing, her-

A sharp tug on her arm made her twirl around, ready to cuss out the idiot who had stopped her-

-but when she saw him and it felt like someone had punched the breath straight out of her lungs, leaving her speechless. For a moment, she was convinced that she was hallucinating him-after all, why would he be there-but then, those grey eyes ignited on hers and she knew he was actually there.

 _Lucian?_

The second she realized he was real, her first instinct was to curl into him and drown in his embrace, make him take away all the darkness and rage she felt blazing through her blood. She craved it, craved not feeling this destructive hate, craved his strength, his soothing touch. And that absolutely infuriated her. His kindness tonight shouldn't undo any of the hurt he'd caused her...and yet, that blinding anger she'd felt towards him only a few hours ago was now almost completely gone. How could she be this weak, this pathetic?

"What are you doing here?" she bit out, hoping the music drowned out the soft tremor in her voice.

"I'm here to stop you from making a mistake!"

She tsked at him, trying to hide how he was affecting her by shrugging his touch of her arm and shooting him the meanest glare she could muster up. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just here to dance."

He sniffed. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"You don't want me to answer that question right now."

His eyes narrowed a little and yet, they somehow never lost their warmth, "You're angry, Adrianna and I get that, but you can't do this."

"I'm not _angry_ , Lucian," she spit out. "I'm just done! I'm done trying to do everything by the book while people die!"

"You feel that way now, but you won't in the morning! You'll hate yourself!"

"No, I won't!"

"Yes, you will! Trust me!"

There was something in his eyes then that made her shiver; something that betrayed he was no stranger to death...and maybe even taking lives.

"Besides, you told me yourself, remember," he continued. "That night in the library. "

 _When we almost kissed,_ her mind added, her cheeks flushing with heat. God, she missed his lips...

 _Stop it!_

"You told me-" he continued, his voice deeper. "-that you were afraid of this very moment; of the day you would see no other outcome than to kill him."

"Yes, well, a lot has changed since then," she snapped, shooting him a meaningful glare. She wasn't just referring to Rodchenko...and she could see in his eyes that he'd picked up on that. "Besides, like I said, I'm just here for a good time. Drink, dance, maybe lose that pesky virginity that disgusts you so much."

His grip on her grew tighter, those eyes burning on hers. "Stop it. I _know_ you're here to kill Rodchenko."

She frowned. Why did she get the feeling that he actually _hoped_ she was there for Rodchenko and not to screw some random guy? Who _hoped_ for murder?

"Just go away, Lucian! Whether I'm here to kill or _fuck_ , it doesn't concern you! I appreciate what you did tonight, that you took care of me the way you did...but it doesn't undo what you did last night! It doesn't magically make us okay! You still said what you did and I can't forget that!"

She noticed him swallow hard, his eyes softening. "I know that! I-"

"When I walked away last night, I made it clear I wasn't coming back and you made it clear you didn't want me to! So, _this_ -" she hissed. "-is _none_ of your business! _I_ am none of your business! I'm not your _anything_!"

She saw pain cross his face and damn her if it didn't hurt her, too. It shouldn't! She hadn't said anything wrong! _He_ was the one who'd pushed her away! If he hadn't been so cruel, if he hadn't humiliated her, she might've been _something_ to him...but _he_ had fucked that up! He had no right to act all hurt because she pointed that out! And _she_ had no reason to _feel bad_ about pointing that out!

" _You_ came to _me,_ remember?" he growled after a tense moment.

"And if I'd been thinking straight, I wouldn't have!" She tried to turn away again, but before she could even take a single step, he jerked on her arm and started dragging her across the dance floor, away from the VIP-area.

"Damn it, Lucian! Let go of me!"

He ignored her, his hand still clutching her arm, still dragging her with him as if she weighed nothing. And it pissed her off. Who did he think he was, coming here, manhandling her?! Fuming, she dug her heels into the floor, almost twisting an ankle, but it was worth it. Mid-stride, Lucian stopped, suddenly turning to face her, almost making her bump into that hard chest of his. And that's when she noticed something she should not be noticing. She had other things on her mind that the fact that she'd never seen Lucian in jeans and a simple t-shirt before tonight. And she certainly shouldn't be noticing how _mouthwatering_ he looked in casual-wear. For a split second, her mind wondered how he'd gotten in this club wearing jeans...but then she remembered he was Lucian Nox. The club-scene was his business. Only an idiot would deny him access.

"You _can't_ kill him, Adrianna," Lucian growled as the people around them danced.

"Want to bet?"

"Taking a life will change you!"

"I don't care!"

" _I_ care!"

She inhaled sharply, hating the way her heart and body reacted to his confession, but most of all hating the regret she'd seen in his eyes as soon as he'd said it. There was _always_ regret.

"God, Lucian-" she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You can't keep-"

"Is there a problem here?"

Adrianna frowned at the tall, brown haired man who had interrupted her, not sure what he was talking about, until he said to Lucian,

"Let go of the girl, man."

That's when she realized that to an outsider, it had to look as if Lucian was trying to take her somewhere against her will. The iron grip on her arm, the angry looks, the raised voices... And to be fair, an outsider wouldn't be completely wrong. He _was_ trying to take her somewhere against her will.

Lucian didn't listen to the man's warning, though. In fact, she could feel his fingers tighten even more on her arm as he shot the man a glare that was bound to make his blood curdle. And yet, the guy didn't move.

 _Impressive._

"This doesn't concern you," Lucian gnarled.

When Adrianna huffed, Lucian's glare turned to her.

"You don't see the irony?" she snapped, glaring right back. "It's not like _you're_ minding your own business here! Just let go of me!"

"You heard the lady," the guy said, making Lucian's jaw set. "Let her go."

A cold, cruel smile crawled up Lucian's lips then, his fingers finally unwrapping from her arm as he turned to face the man, shooting him a mocking look. "Listen to me, misguided idiot. Walk away. This little show of force isn't going to make her leave with you-"

"Well, I don't know-" Adrianna mumbled, trying not to smile when Lucian shot her another glare. "What? He's cute."

She didn't know why she was trying to make him jealous. Or why she thought she could even _make him_ jealous. Why would he possibly feel _anything_ about her getting together with someone else? _He_ had turned _her_ down. Not the other way around. Was she supposed to stay alone, pining over him? Hell no!

"Look," she sang. "Why don't you two keep doing what you're doing and I'll just be on my way."

She turned towards the VIP-area again, but she hadn't even taken a single step before that big hand grabbed her elbow again, keeping her in place. She wanted to scream at Lucian, call him every name in the book...but before she could, the man who should get equal points for bravery and stupidity, put himself between them, shoving against Lucian's chest, making him release her. That poor, slim boy was clearly no match for the broad man he was picking a fight with and yet, he was doing just that. To help her out.

And he was about to pay for it.

Lucian looked absolutely feral. His eyes were blazing with rage, his still mangled hands balled up in fists, his nose turned up in disgust.

 _He's going to fight him,_ a voice warned in her head, making her heart drop. She didn't want that man to get hurt because he was trying to protect her...but then, she saw Rodchenko and his guards head for the door in the back, leading into an alley. And Rodchenko wasn't alone. The woman who'd been sitting with him was leaving with him too. The _blond_ woman.

 _No._

She could see the man who was standing up for her move when Lucian tried to get to her, cutting off his path and even though a minute ago she'd been about to diffuse the situation, things had now changed. She couldn't let that woman leave with Rodchenko. She fit his victim-profile and that monster hadn't gotten his fill tonight. He'd thought he was killing Maggie and it had solely been about revenge, about showing her his power, about cutting the right vein at the right time so Adrianna would hold her when she died. He hadn't played with his victim like he usually did; it hadn't been _fun_. It had been quick and unsatisfying, which meant he was frustrated...and he was going to work that frustration out on another woman.

Another victim.

 _No._

"Please," Adrianna sobbed, making her voice tremble for dramatic effect as she clutched the man's sleeve. "Don't let him hurt me again."

Lucian shot her a wide-eyed look...before his eyes shifted to the-now empty-VIP area and comprehension dawned on his face.

"No," he growled, taking a step forward. "Adrianna, don't even think-"

The man's fist knocked the words right out of Lucian's mouth as he sucker punched him...and even though Adrianna felt her stomach clutch at what she'd just caused, she didn't waste a second and ran outside, after Rodchenko, determined to do what she'd come to do.

Hades spit blood, his hands clutching as he noticed Adrianna slip out the back door.

"Stubborn woman!"

"Let her go, man!" that stupid fucker said as Hades rose again, glaring at him.

"Trust me," Hades snarled. "I've tried! Now, get the fuck out of my way!"

"She doesn't want to be with you!"

Hades' lips pulled back in a sneer, his entire body tensing painfully. He knew all too well that she didn't want him. He'd fucking done everything in his power to make sure of it...but that still didn't mean he liked hearing it out loud.

"Move out of my way, human."

" _Human_?" the guy sniffed. "You're crazy, man! You should-"

Hades' knuckles screamed out as he knocked the idiot to the ground. The guy didn't get back up, but he was alive, which he hoped could still be said for Rodchenko, too. Not that he cared a fuck whether that monster lived or died, but he couldn't allow Adrianna to be the one to pull the trigger.

Not her.

She would never come back from that.

The crowd parted for him like the Red Sea, watching him with shocked expressions as he headed for the door Adrianna had disappeared through. He shouldn't have drawn so much attention to him...but at that point, he didn't care about anything but getting to Adrianna before she lost herself in her anger.

When he finally made it through the door and the night air enveloped him, his brain needed a few seconds to process what he was seeing.

Three men in suits laid on the ground, knocked out. Rodchenko's guards.

A blond woman was crouched down against a wall, crying, her mascara running in streaks over her cheeks.

And Rodchenko was on his knees, glaring up at Adrianna who was pointing a gun at his head.

For a moment, he wondered where she'd gotten the nine millimeter since she didn't have a gun on her in the club...and then he realized it had to be one of the guards' weapons, which only made his anger worse. She'd attacked three armed men without a weapon? Was she trying to get herself killed?! How could she put herself at risk like that?!

"Adrianna," Hades growled, watching her tense the moment he spoke. "Don't."

"Ooooooh," Rodchenko chimed, his voice eeringly calm for a man who had a gun in his face. "You're detective Salvatore."

"Really?!" she hissed, her entire body trembling in rage. "You're seriously going to pretend you didn't know that?!"

Rodchenko just smiled, his green eyes sparkling...as if he was enjoying this. If there had been any doubt in Hades' mind that this guy was a psychopath, it was gone now.

"Adrianna," Hades tried again. "Put the gun down."

"Goddammit," she spit out, keeping her eyes locked on Rodchenko's. "Why are you still here, Lucian! Leave!"

"You know I can't do that."

"Yes, you can!" she fumed, adding to the blonde who was still crying. "And that goes for you, too! Go! Now!"

The woman didn't need to be asked twice. She got up and ran as fast as her stilleto's could carry her.

"Adrianna," Hades tried again, taking another step closer. "Let's look at this rationally. There are cameras everywhere inside his club, cameras that have caught you following Rodchenko outside. How exactly do you plan to get away with this?"

"Who says I'm planning to get away with it?"

Hades' stomach clenched. "You can't be serious?!" When she didn't speak, he snarled, "Adrianna, you can't just throw your life away-"

"I won't spend much time in jail," she cut him off. "My family will come and I'll be free in no time. I'll be fine."

That was true. If The Salvatores or Mikaelsons jumped in and compelled everyone involved, she would be out in a matter of hours...but that didn't mean she would be fine. Not by a long shot.

"And then what?" he gnarled. "Do you really think you can just move on with your life after ending his?"

Her eyes touched his for the first time since he'd come outside and even though those blue depths looked calm and confident on the outside, he could see the storm raging underneath the surface. She didn't want to be here. Deep down, she knew she would be crossing a line by killing him...but holding that girl in her arms as she'd died had pushed her over some sort of edge...and he would do everything in his power to pull her back to safety.

"You should listen to mister Nox. He seems to be the voice of reason in this relationship."

Hades cursed under his breath. The second Rodchenko had spoken, he'd seen her eyes harden even more, pushing her down deeper. If that fucker knew what was good for him, he would keep quiet.

"By the way," Rodchenko continued, casting Hades a smile. "It's a pleasure to finally meet-"

"Shut up!" Adrianna screamed, her hands tightening on the gun. "Don't talk to him! Don't even _look_ at him!"

That moron laughed, cocking an amused eyebrow. "Feeling a tad protective, are we?"

"Hey!" Hades barked when her trigger finger twitched. "Adrianna, don't! I know it's tempting, but think about what you're doing!"

"Yes," Rodchenko jumped in again. "Think about what you're doing, detective. Are you really going to shoot an unarmed man?"

"No," she snarled. "I'm going to shoot a serial killer!"

Rodchenko sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "I am not this Carver, detective Salvatore and frankly, I don't know where you got this crazy notion that I-"

"Irina."

Rodchenko visibly tensed and even though he'd had a gun pointed at his head this entire time, this was the first time Hades actually saw fear in his eyes.

"See, that's the thing with you serial killers," she hissed, her eyes narrowing on Rodchenko's. "Your first victim gives you away every single time. It's the only victim that can be connected to you personally. The only one you let into your life. Like you let Irina in. You dated her for six whole months...up until the point you raped and killed her."

Rodchenko just watched her, not a single expression on his cold face.

"I know you did it. Just like I know you killed those women after her."

"But you don't have proof, do you?" he said calmly. "And I have airtight alibis-"

" _Airtight alibis_? Spare me! You have witnesses who you either bought or blackmailed and security tapes you had every opportunity to mess with before we got our hands on them!"

Rodchenko smiled again, his eyes piercing hers even more intensely as he leaned closer to her/and the weapon. That fucker had ice running through his veins...

"Okay, let's say for argument's sake that I _did_ kill Irina. Let say she said something I didn't like and I snapped-"

Adrianna tensed even more, making Hades take another step forward.

"-what _exactly_ would be my motive for killing all those women after her, detective?"

"Simple," she bit out. "You're a sick, sadistic fuck who got a taste of divine power; of death and liked it."

Rodchenko sighed, pulling up his nose. "Sounds a bit cliché, don't you think?"

"You want cliché?" she hissed. "How about the fact that your mother was blonde."

All amusement left Rodchenko's face again, anger taking over.

"How old were you when she walked out on you? Eight? Nine? See, I think she already saw the monster in you and-"

"Shut up, bitch!"

Hades growled at the same time Adrianna laughed. But it wasn't one of her warm laughs he loved so much. No, this was a cold laugh, one deprived of any actual amusement.

"There he is," she whispered, bringing the gun closer to his head. "There's the real you."

"Adrianna," Hades barked when he noticed the muscles in her arms preparing to fire. "Please, don't. You don't know what this will do to you."

She frowned, shaking her head at him. "You still don't get it, do you? It doesn't matter what it will do to me!"

"Off course it matters!"

"No it doesn't!"

"Adrianna-"

"He was after Maggie!"

Hades' chest clenched as he prayed he'd heard her wrong. If he hadn't...

"What?"

"He was after Maggie!" she said again, her determined blue eyes shattering all hope. "He wanted me to hold _my best friend_ as she died! I can't just walk away after that! I can't...and I won't!"

 _No._

There was a fire blazing in Adrianna's belly, destroying everything on it's path, purging her body from any other emotion but the hate that roared inside of her. It felt terrible...and freeing. No conscience, no despair, no mercy. She was ready. Ready to end that miserable son of a bitch's life and make sure-

"I'll do it."

Her finger froze at Lucian's deep voice, her eyebrows knotting together confused. "Do _what_?"

"I'll kill him."

And just like that, that damned fire extinguished and all those feeling she couldn't be feeling right now returned with a vengeance. Had he _really_ just said that?

 _What?_

"What?" Rodchenko asked before she could.

"Adrianna, look at me."

She did, unable to stop herself.

"Give me the gun," he whispered, holding out his hand. "I will kill him for you."

"You just want me to give you the gun so you can save him!" she tried, her mind unable to grasp his offer. "You'll let him go!"

"No, I won't. I give you my word."

 _S_ he could see in his deep grey eyes that he was serious, could hear it in his voice.. _._

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I know you," he growled. "And if he went after Maggie, after someone you love, you won't drop it. Even if I stop you tonight, you'll try again tomorrow. That's who you are. You protect those you love, even if it means sacrificing a part of yourself you can never get back."

 _How does he know that?_

"But I can't let you make that sacrifice. I can't let you darken your soul."

"But you'll darken your own? To kill a man _I_ want dead?"

She saw his lips twitch sadly, those eyes piercing hers with suck an intensity she could feel her mouth go dry.

"My soul, if I even have one, is already as dark as souls get, Adrianna. But you-" his lips curled in such an endearing way Adrianna felt her heart respond. "-you are the purest soul I've ever met. I won't let you taint yourself, not in any way, no matter how much I want-"

He cut himself off, looking so hurt, so tormented that she felt herself falling into him, feeling everything she'd sworn she would never feel for him again.

"Ha!"

Lucian's eyes flung to Rodchenko at the same time hers did.

"Is something funny?" Lucian snarled.

"Yes," Rodchenko laughed. " _You_ are. I mean, it all makes sense now."

"What does?" Adrianna hissed.

"The whole _I don't do virgins_ -thing."

Adrianna felt like someone had just reached inside her chest and clutched her heart, squeezing it until she could no longer breath.

"What did you just say?" she breathed, her cheeks flushing with anger and embarassment. How the hell did he know about that?

Rodchenko smiled that arrogant smile again, making her finger itch to just squeeze that trigger and end him...but not before she got some answers.

"Come on," Rodchenko chimed. "You know what I'm talking about. Last night, when you two almost-" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"How the fuck do you know about that?"

When he didn't answer, Adrianna lost it and slammed the back of her gun into his temple before aiming it at him again with a firm grip. She would love to say she didn't take any pleasure in watching him touch his temple and seeing the blood on his fingers...but she did.

" _How_ do you know about that?" she hissed again, his cold eyes touching hers angrily. "Tell me or so help me God-"

"I know about _that_ the same way I know you listen to jazz every night before bed. Or opera, depending on your mood. I know about that the same way I know you talk in your sleep sometimes and-"

"You bugged her apartment?"

The manner in which Lucian spat out that accusation, his eyes as dark as the night surrounding them, made Rodchenko's eyes widen for just a split second.

"I did," he admitted. "But then you came along and she started spending all her time with you, so-"

"-you bugged his house, too," Adrianna finished for him. "And his loft."

His lips twitched.

 _Oh God... he heard. He heard everything we did; everything we said..._

"How the hell did you do that?" Lucian growled. "I have security everywhere."

"Exactly."

His grey eyes narrowed. "One of my men placed the bugs?"

Rodchenko's lips pulled back in a grin. "Did you really think you could break a guard's wrist and keep his loyalty?"

Adrianna frowned, glancing at Lucian...but he didn't glance back. He kept his eyes glued to Rodchenko.

"Oh," Rodchenko smiled, cocking a mocking eyebrow at Adrianna. "You don't know about that?"

"Know about what?"

"Just ignore him," Lucian snarled. "It's no big deal."

"Well, I wouldn't call breaking a man's wrist in three places _no big deal."_

"What is he talking about?" Adrianna asked, her eyebrows knitting together as Lucian kept avoiding her gaze. She didn't like not knowing things, especially not if Rodchenko _did_ know them. "Lucian, tell me what-"

"He had a guard at his house a while back," Rodchenko answered in Lucian's place. "Hector Brooks. He tried to stop you from leaving the house once, grabbed your wrist a little too tight for your boyfriend's taste."

Adrianna felt her stomach turn, remembering the blonde guard she'd fought with, whose motorcycle she'd stolen... Lucian had broken that guy's wrist? For simply bruising hers?

"You did that?" she whispered, frowning at Lucian.

When he finally met her eyes, she could see the answer, making her confusion grow even more. Why would he do that? Why would he care?

"Sweet, isn't it?" Rodchenko said mockingly, making her glare at him again. "He's so protective of you; of your...How did he put it? Ah yes...your _pure_ soul."

Adrianna frowned, getting the eery feeling that asshole knew something she didn't...

"Strange choice of words, isn't it?" he said. " _Pure_. I mean, he could've said anything, but he chose to say _pure_."

"What's your point, Rodchenko?"

"He doesn't have a point" Lucian snarled, moving closer.

"Oh, I assure you I do," Rodchenko sang, his eyes sparkling on Lucian's. "And you know I do."

" _I_ don't!" Adrianna snarled, her gaze switching back and forth between both men. "Someone better tell me or-"

"Come on, detective," Rodchenko cut her off. "Isn't solving cases your thing? Think about it. Why would this man-who breaks wrists for you, who destroyed his loft in a fit of rage the second you walked away last night, who is willing to literally _kill_ to save your soul-say what he said? He clearly cares about you. So, why would he hurt you like that?"

"Rodchenko-" Lucian growled threateningly, making Adrianna's heart skip.

That Russian wasn't just making things up here. He was getting close to something, something Lucian didn't want her to know...

"Why?" she whispered.

She hated asking that bastard anything. She wasn't supposed to be talking to him. She was supposed to be killing him...but she had to know.

"Because, _you_ , detective-" Rodchenko sang. "-are _pure_."

"Rochenko, I swear to God, if you don't shut up-"

"And _he_ -" the Russian continued, unimpressed by Lucian's threat. "-is _not_. He just said it himself. He believes he has no soul, that he's evil, dark. How could someone like him ever _have you_ without destroying everything pure inside of you? I mean, you're a virgin, for God's sake. That's as pure as a woman can get."

"Adrianna, don't listen to him," Lucian hissed as her mind raced, replaying everything that had happened the night before, seeing it all through new eyes. "He's trying to mess with your-"

"You stopped," Adrianna cut Lucian off, shifting her gaze to him.

"What?" he growled.

"You stopped," she said again, feeling light headed. "The second I told you I was a virgin, you stopped."

"You know why," he snarled, trying to sound harsh...but his eyes betrayed him, flashing with anger and pain, revealing a truth that changed everything. "I don't-"

"-do virgins. Yeah, you said so," she finished for him, the words that had broken her heart only minutes ago now no longer effecting her.

Because they were a lie.

 _How did I not see this?_ she thought, kicking herself over the head. He'd been a mess last night. After beating up the man who'd nearly strangled her, he'd been so convinced he was a monster that he'd practically chased her out of his loft. Had she really thought one kiss would make him change his mind about himself?

Lucian didn't admit to it, though. He just stood there, his eyes piercing hers. She could see him trying to find a way to spin this, to undo what Rodchenko had done...but no matter what he would come up with, it wouldn't work. Not anymore. Because she knew now _why_ he'd been acting like a bastard since the very first moment they'd met and when she replayed their time together, she could see so much now. Everything she'd thought that he'd done out of cruelty or indifference had been to protect her...from him; from getting to close to him and the darkness he believed that surrounded him. How could he-

Adrianna's thoughts halted abruptly when a familiar sound broke through the night.

Sirens...

"Looks like someone called your colleagues," Rodchenko said, grinning at her rattled expression.

 _That woman,_ a voice hissed in her head. _I save her from that monster and she calls the cops?!_

"So, what are you going to do here, detective? There's still time to shoot me."

Adrianna could sense Lucian shift beside her...but that's not what stopped her from blowing Rodchenko's brains out on the spot. No, what stopped her was her dad calling her _little girl;_ her mother hugging her as if she was the most precious thing in the world; her brothers chasing her around the woods, teasing her. They hadn't been on her mind a few minutes ago...but Lucian had softened her up again, broken down walls and now...she couldn't take a life. And that damned monster knew it.

Blue lights filled the alley and suddenly, she was the one being held at gunpoint. Two men in uniform came running into the alley, weapons drawn. Before she could even react, Lucian was in front of her, putting himself between her and the cops; or more specifically, between her and their guns. But there was no time to feel everything she felt at that, especially not when she saw a flicker of Damian, the rookie in the force. Rookies tended to panic too quickly, _fire_ too quickly and since Lucian was now the first person he would hit, there was no time to waste.

Flipping on the safety, Adrianna dropped the gun for all too see and rounded Lucian again, moving in front of him with her hands raised.

"Damian," she said, recognizing the second cop now, too. "And Erik."

"Salvatore?" Erik said, frowning as he lowered his weapon. "What the hell is going on here? We got a call about an armed assault."

"Because there _was_ an armed assault."

Adrianna froze as Rodchenko spoke, her mind racing. She hadn't lied when she'd said her family could get her out if push came to shove, but in all her years in the force, she'd never once turned to them for something like this...and she didn't _like_ the idea of having them come and compel people to get her out of jail. It felt wrong.

"Okay," Adrianna started, sighing. "Look, Damian, Erik, I can explain-"

"Luckily, detective Salvatore and mister Nox were having a night out in my club and chased the guy away."

Adrianna tried to hide her surprise as Rodchenko pulled that lie out of his ass...and when she exchanged a subtle look with Lucian, she could see he hadn't expected it either.

"If you hurry you can probably still get him," Rodchenko added, pointing at the end of the alley. "He went that way."

"Okay, go back inside," Erik said, raising his weapon again. "To be safe. We'll find you to get your statement."

"Will do, officer," Rodchenko smiled charmingly as both cops ran off on a wild-goose chase.

The second they were out of earshot, Adrianna hissed, "Why would you do that?"

The Russian held her eyes for a long moment in silence and then whispered, "I have my reasons, detective. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going back inside to try and salvage the night."

"I swear to God," Adrianna gnarled. "If you even go near another blonde-"

"No," he cut her off, a strange twinkle in his eyes. "I think I'm done with blondes for a while. My taste has...changed." He reached for a lock of her black hair, but before he could touch her, Lucian slapped his hand away, shoving against Rodchenko's chest. The sound that came out of Lucian then even made _her_ flinch for a moment, a growl so low and deep she felt it vibrate in the air...but Rodchenko just laughed.

"Well, this was fun," he said when he was all chuckled out. "Honestly. Life can get quite boring, but you two-" He shook his finger at them, still grinning. "-you two are a real _blast_."

Lucian took another threatening step forward, but before anything could be done, Erik and Damian emerged from the night.

"No sight of the guy," Damian said, breathing heavily. "We'll need you, mister Rodchenko, to give us a detailed description so we can put out a BOLO."

"No problem," Rodchenko said, straightening his jacket casually. "We're done here."

"We're not done," Adrianna hissed softly so only Rodchenko heard. "We will never be done. No until you're behind bars or six feet under."

Rodchenko's green eyes pierced hers for a moment longer until he winked and then disappeared back into his club with Damian.

"Salvatore, a moment?" Erik said as soon as the door closed behind Rodchenko.

Adrianna cast Lucian a quick look, but he didn't meet her eyes, making her heart drop.

"Salvatore?"

"Yeah," she rushed, moving away from Lucian to where Erik was waiting for her a few steps deeper into in the shadows. "What?"

"You still have an appointment with the sergeant tomorrow? Well, technically today?"

"Yes, at three."

"You know he'll hear about this, right?"

"About me saving Rodchenko?" she asked, feeling her palms sweat a little.

Erik sniffed. "Come on, Adrianna. You've been after Rodchenko for years and now I'm supposed to believe you saved him tonight?"

"What else would I have been doing?"

Erik didn't answer, but she could see in his eyes that he knew...and she should've know she couldn't fool him. Erik had known her from day one on the force. He knew how much she hated Dimitri Rodchenko...

"Come see me before you meet with the sergeant," Erik finally said. "I'll let you read Rodchenko's statement so you know what to say when you're asked what the hell happened here tonight."

"I already know. I was dancing and saw a shady figure follow Rodchenko outside. I got a bad feeling, followed him and got here just in time to save Rodchenko."

"Right," he said, cocking an eyebrow. "Two things: One, work on lying. And two, avoid the term 'shady figure'. We don't live in an Agatha Christie-novel."

She sniffed, running a hand through her hair. "I'll keep that in mind."

Erik just smiled, giving Adrianna's arm a little squeeze before he followed Damian and Rodchenko inside, leaving her alone with Lucian...

...or just alone.

With a sigh, she looked behind her and saw nothing but dumpsters and darkness. He'd left. He'd just...left. After everything they'd been through tonight, after everything she'd found out about him and why he'd done what he'd done, he'd just left?

The sky above rumbled and before Adrianna could so much as curse, the clouds burst and rain poured down from the heavens.

By the time she walked out of the alley, she was already stepping through small puddles, her hair clinging to her wherever it touched her skin, her clothes soaked through. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, picking up her pace as she hit the main road.

Just when her lips started to tremble, a car pulled up beside her, rolling down its window. Frowning, Adrianna leaned down, peering into the sleek machine...and then, she felt her entire body turn scolding hot again.

 _Lucian._

He didn't say anything. He didn't even look at her. But she knew what he wanted her to do.

The second she slipped in the car, the smell of leather and _him_ overwhelmed her, made her her body light up.

Shifting in her seat, she tried to extinguish the fire that was building between her legs, but it was no good. She wanted him so badly...and she now knew he wanted her too.

"Lucian-"

The car spat out of its spot so fast she was pressed back against her seat. When he turned a corner with squeaking tires, she wanted to ask him to slow down...but then she took a good look at him and decided against it. His jaw was locked, his charcoal eyes blazing as they stared straight ahead. His broad chest was pushing against his shirt, his strong shoulders-

She looked away from him, trying to keep a level head. She couldn't drown in him again, not without having all the information. She had to know what exactly was going on before she opened up again. She couldn't take another rejection.

Within no time at all, they reached her apartment.

He parked right in front of her door, but he didn't turn of his engine. She knew that the second she got out of that car, he would be gone again...and she couldn't let that happen.

"Do you want to come up?" she whispered, keeping her eyes on the road. Here she was, a cop who risked her life on the street every day...and she'd never been as terrified as she was in that moment. She was putting everything on the line here; exposing herself, her desires...

When he didn't answer, she swallowed hard and then glanced his way. He was looking at the road too...as if it had done something horrible to him. He looked so furious. His biceps were flexing, his knuckles turning white from clutching the wheel.

"Lucian," she whispered again. "Do you want to-"

"Yes."

Her heart literally stopped beating for a second, adrenaline making her cheeks flush...until she realized he still hadn't moved.

 _If he wants to come up with me, why isn't he-_

It hit her like a ton of bricks then, the answer to her own unfinished question.

"You want to-" she said, pressing her eyes shut for a moment before she sighed, "-but you won't, will you?"

He didn't answer...but that in itself was all the answer she needed. He wouldn't get out of that car, he wouldn't come inside with her, he wouldn't stay the night. Not now...and probably not ever.

"Lucian," she tried, her voice soft. "This idea you have of yourself, this notion that you're evil is the most ridiculous-"

"It's not ridiculous," he growled, a vein in his neck throbbing. "If you had any idea of what I am; what I _think_ when I'm around you; what I want to _do_ to-"

He inhaled a shaky breath, his head dropping as he shook it softly.

He looked so small suddenly, so fragile and _broken_. It made everything inside of her ache. She couldn't stand seeing him like this, especially since it he didn't have to be that way. He could be happy. She could make him happy. She had no idea why she was so certain of that, but she was.

"You feel something for me," she said, turning towards him in her seat. "I know you do. Just tell me the truth, for once. Please. Don't you understand that it would change-"

"-nothing!" he screamed, slamming his fist into the wheel. "It would change _nothing_ , Adrianna! I'm still me and you're still _you!_ "

She knew that show of force had been to scare her into getting out of that car...but instead, she whispered sweetly, "Lucian, you put me on a pedestal that I don't belong on. I'm not _pure_. I'm _anything but_ pure. I'm the daughter of vampires, I'm The Crescător, I just held a gun to a man's head-"

"You think _that_ is evil?" His eyes shot to her then, narrow and dark. "You have no idea what evil looks like. _True_ evil."

"Maybe not, but I know it doesn't look _like you_ , Lucian. You're the man who saved me from getting shot, from being strangled in an alley...and you just offered to kill a man to spare my soul the burden. How could _that_ man be evil? How could _he_ not have a soul?"

His eyes softened on hers for just a split second before they dropped to his lap again.

Gathering every ounce of courage she still had left, she took a deep breath and whispered, "Do you want me, Lucian?"

His chest froze for a moment, as if he held his breath. "I'm not good for you."

"That wasn't the question."

"It's the only answer you're getting."

That voice inside her head told her to stop, to get out of the car, to pick up the last remaining pieces of her pride and go back to hating him...but it wasn't her head that was calling the shots. Not anymore.

With a trembling hand, she reached out for him, threading her fingers through his dark hair. She could see his entire body tense even more, his jaw clenching so hard it had to hurt...but he didn't say anything and he didn't shrug of her touch. He just sat there, unmoving...until she softly started combing her fingers though his hair. That's when those dark, hard eyes drifted closed as a sigh escaped his lips.

"It doesn't have to be like this," she whispered. "If you just stop; if you just have a little more faith in yourself, we could-"

"We could _what_?" he cut her off in that cold voice again. "Have this happily ever after you women never shut up about?"

She felt her heart drop and when his eyes finally touched hers again, she saw what she'd feared she'd see.

Nothing.

No more emotion, no more warmth or even anger.

Just...nothing.

Slowly pulling her fingers back from his hair, Adrianna shook her head, feeling a tear trickle down her cheek. In her entire life put together, she'd never cried as much as she'd cried since she'd met Lucian Nox. She wanted to safe him so badly, to show him he was a good man...but in trying to do so, she now realized she would take herself down. Because it would always be like this. He would give her hope, she would open up...and then, he would destroy her. She couldn't keep feeling like this. She couldn't be devastated every single time. So, as much as she hated it, it was time for some self-preservation. She could still walk away now. She could still leave in one piece. If this went any further, she feared she would never get out alive.

"Look," he gnarled. "Detective-"

"Stop," she whispered, cutting off his cold voice. "Don't. I know you're about to say something mean, something cruel in the hopes that it will push me away. But there's no need."

Lucian's eyebrows pulled together for a split second before his expression turned stoic again.

She sighed, shrugging in a surrendering gesture. "I'm going to say three words I haven 't said in my entire life; words I hoped I would never say, but here goes... I give up. And I know we've been here before and we somehow never managed to stay apart for longer than a day...but this time it's different. I'm exhausted, Lucian. I -" she trailed off, tears closing up her throat. "God, I wish I could save you from the loneliness that surrounds you...but you won't let me, will you? You will never let me... and I can't keep doing this. I can't keep hoping only to be crushed. My heart won't survive."

She inhaled sharply, running her hands over her cheeks as tears fell. She wanted him to say something so badly; to stop her from walking away, from giving up...but he didn't. He just sat there, not a single expression on that beautiful face of his.

"Okay then," she whispered, her chest tightening painfully. "Goodbye, Lucian Nox."

And with that, she got out of that car and walked away, knowing full well that the memory of him would haunt her for the rest of her Immortal life.

* * *

 **I can't apologize enough for the amount of time you'd had to wait on this chapter! I'm working two jobs at the moment, so it's not always easy to find a moment to write... I hope you guys understand! I already have the next chapter worked out in my head though, so I'll try to rush it (maybe make it a little shorter). And, not to give anything away, but things might...heat up.**

 **Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Please, let me know what you thought!**

 **As always, thanks for reading (and hopefully reviewing)! X LustAndLove ( LustAndLoveFF)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Adrianna took a deep breath, looking down at the mesmerizing landscape below. The trees were softly swaying in the wind, the orange of the rising sun painting their. The weather was so clear this morning that she could see the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, even hear the bells echo, as she stood on the balcony of their hilltop home. Everything was so peaceful, quiet, beautiful.

Just like her life here in Florence.

The life she'd built.

With _him_.

As if called, two strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist, his lips softly brushing over her neck.

"Goodmorning," she whispered, leaning back into his hard chest.

"Morning," Lucian rumbled in that seductive voice of his, kissing a sweet spot behind her ear. "Come back to bed, Cara. It's cold."

She laughed softly, twisting her arm over her shoulder so she could run her fingers through his thick black hair. " _That's_ why you want me to come back to bed, huh? 'Cause it's cold? No ulterior motives?"

She felt his lips curl against her skin. "Off course not. I'm only concerned about your health." He softly tugged at the thin white sheet she'd wrapped around herself. "This thing can't be keeping you very warm."

"I'm warm enough."

"Not as warm as you could be."

She snickered, biting her lip. "You're insatiable, Nox."

"Me?" he growled in her ear. "Remind me, who broke our old bed again?"

She sniffed as he kissed her hair, tightening his hold on her. For a moment, they were silent, gazing at the awakening world. With his arms around her, everything seemed even brighter, warmer. He had that effect on her. He made everything better. Always.

"Did you get some sleep?" He suddenly asked in a serious voice.

She let out a deep, relieved sigh, resting her head on his shoulder. "Actually, I did. For the first time in a month, I slept for eight hours straight."

"You're welcome."

Adrianna cocked an eyebrow, grinning. "You're welcome? I have _you_ to thank for it?"

"Yes, you do" Lucian rumbled, his hands dropping to her curving belly. "I had a little talk with our boy yesterday about all the kicking at night and he promised to cool it so you could rest."

She laughed, turning in his embrace. "Really? You had a _talk_ with your unborn son, huh?"

He cocked a teasing eyebrow. "Are you calling me a liar, wife?"

She shrugged, biting her lip. At once, his eyes flung to her mouth, those dark depths turning even darker. She knew full well what biting her lip did to her husband and she wasn't ashamed to use it to her own advantage.

The second his lips touched hers, Adrianna's knees wobbled. Even after all these years, his kiss still had the same effect on her as it had that first time in his loft. Her blood still boiled, her skin still tingled, her mind still went soothingly numb.

"Okay," she moaned in between kisses. "You were right, I'm getting cold."

"Are you?" he whispered teasingly against her wet lips.

"Yes," she groaned, her fingers tightening in his hair. "Take me to bed."

She didn't have to ask twice. Growling, his hands dropped to her behind, lifting her up. She moaned in his mouth as she wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his desire for her through his boxers.

 _He_ definitely wasn't cold.

Never breaking their kiss, he carried her inside, softly placing her back on the bed, immediately snuggling between her legs.

"God, you're beautiful," he growled, brushing a curl from her forehead.

She bit her lip again, her eyes sparkling. "Will you still think I'm beautiful when I get really, really big?"

He sat up between her legs, his hands caressing her baby bump through the sheet. Whenever he looked at her belly like that, her heart soared. He looked so happy; so in love with that tiny human inside of her. If possible, it made her love her husband even more.

"I can't wait for you to get really, really big," he rumbled, those grey eyes on hers again. "The bigger the better."

"The bigger the better?" she laughed.

"More of you to love."

"You're such an idiot," She shook her head, smiling. "But you're _my_ idiot."

"Yes," he rumbled, crouching down over her again with that heated look in his eyes. "I am."

His face disappeared in her neck, his rough tongue licking a path up her skin. Arching up from the bed, she felt his hand slip underneath the sheet; his fingers brushing up her calves, her thighs, heading for the spot between her legs that burned for him…

"Oh God," she croaked, her nails digging into his back. "God, yes, don't-"

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the room and before Adrianna could even process what was happening, Lucian was off her and slipping back in his pants. At first, she didn't understand why, but then she heard that sweet little voice chanting, "Daddy, daddy, daddy!" and she realized their daughter had stormed into the room.

Smiling, Adrianna sat up straight, saying a little prayer that the sheet was still wrapped around her as she watched their three-year-old being scooped up by her father.

"Hey baby," Lucian smiled, kissing their girl's messy black hair. "You're up early."

"You promised you'd make pancakes before uncle Killian picks me up, daddy."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to get up at the crack of dawn, sweetheart."

"But if I'm not quick, mommy will eat them all."

Adrianna laughed and it was only then that her daughter's blue eyes found her. She was such a daddy's girl that whenever her father was in the room, Adrianna disappeared for a few seconds. She would've minded if it wasn't so damned cute.

"Mommy!" she sang.

Adrianna got up, pressing a kiss to her little forehead.

"Hey baby. So, you think I'm going to eat all the pancakes, huh?"

"You're eating a lot," she said on a whisper. "Your belly's big, mommy."

Adrianna laughed again as Lucian explained, "That's not from pancakes, baby. That's your brother, growing inside mommy. We talked about that remember."

"So, _he's_ eating all the pancakes?"

"Okay," he laughed. "I think we have to have that talk again."

"Good idea," Adrianna snickered. "I'll get dressed and join you downstairs in a second."

"No hurry," her husband rumbled, brushing his fingertips over her cheek. "You look a little pale. Have a long bath, relax. You're going to need your strength for later."

"Oh, am I?" she teased.

He just shot her a hot, promising look before pressing a sweet kiss to her lips and walking out with their daughter in his arms.

Smiling, Adrianna started picking up the clothes she'd abandoned on the floor last night, noticing something that was out of place.

 _Mister Dog._ She grinned, picking up the stuffed animal. Lucian had bought their daughter the toy when she'd been obsessed with getting a puppy. They'd just found out she was pregnant again and throwing a small animal into the mix hadn't seemed like a good idea, so her daddy had soothed her with a stuffed version instead. She and mister Dog had been inseparable ever since. Which meant that pancake-time would be hell if she didn't get the toy back into her cute little fingers asap.

Slipping on a robe, she clutched the fluffy dog and threw open the door, walking into their high-ceilinged hallway.

Their _dark_ hallway.

The windows that outlined the hall were all wide open, wind blowing in, making the curtains snap violently through the air. The only light came from the moonlight streaking in…but it was morning five seconds ago…

Her heart racing, Adrianna turned to get back into her room…but there was no more room. No door, no room, no light. Just more dark hallway.

And that wasn't the only change.

When she looked down, there was no more stuffed animal, no more pregnant belly…and instead of the white robe, she now donned a virgin white, lace wedding dress.

"What the hell?" she whispered, walking deeper into the darkness. "Lucian?!"

No answer.

A sudden panic gripped her; her every instinct telling her to run, as fast and as far as she could.

So, she did.

The high heels she wore slowed her down, but there was no more time to take them off.

It was coming.

It was close.

Her lungs hurt as she tried to catch her breath, her sides stinging, but she couldn't stop. If she stopped, it would be over.

Turning a corner, she headed for the large staircase. If she could just get down, get to the door, get out, everything would be-

Her mind shut down when the floor suddenly tore open beneath her feet…and then, she was falling; falling into a never-ending darkness.

And yet, the panic and fear she'd felt only seconds ago, were slowly fading away. The deeper she fell, the safer she felt…

And then, she hit the ground.

The first thing she noticed, was the smell. It was everywhere, crawling in her nose, making her sick. The smell sulphur.

Frowning, she got up, peering into the darkness. It took a while, but when her eyes finally adjusted, she realized she was in a cave of some sort. She didn't see any way in or out, except maybe the still, black lake beside her. But there was no boat, no means of crossing it.

She was trapped.

So, why did she feel…safe.

It was cold and dark, but she felt _safe_.

It made no sense…until she noticed the large, black throne in the middle of the space. And the man sitting in it, in the shadows, watching her with eyes that were now pitch black, but still _so_ familiar.

"Lucian," she whispered, relieved.

Growling, he leaned forward, a cruel smile crawling up those beautiful lips…as he slowly shook his head.

Adrianna's eyes snapped open, her breath coming out in short gasps. She could feel sweat running down her neck, could feel her heart race in her chest…but most of all, she could feel her stomach clutching violently. Throwing off the blankets, she rushed into the bathroom, making it just in time to empty her stomach in the toilet. She'd barely eaten, so not much made it out, but that didn't stop her from gagging. It was that smell stuck in her nose that was to blame for her nausea.

The smell of rotten eggs.

 _Sulphur_ ** _._**

When her body finally understood there was no food left in her, she got up and slipped into the shower. Letting the cold water envelop her, she tried to shake the image of _him_ wrapping his arms around her, touching her pregnant belly, kissing her. She hadn't seen or heard from him in over two months. She shouldn't be dreaming about him. She shouldn't be dreaming about being married to him, about having his kids. That man had done nothing but hurt her, turn her down. Besides, even if he _hadn't_ done any of that, even if she somehow lost her mind and wanted that with him, that life still wasn't in the cards for her. She had a little over five months until her twenty-fifth birthday and on that day, she would become Immortal like her family. That's what she wanted, that was the plan; that had _always_ been the plan…and she was going to stick to it. No matter what.

The cold water doing nothing to help, she got back out, wrapping a robe around her before making her way downstairs.

Good morning, miss. How did you sleep?"

"Good, Lucinda," Adrianna said, feeling that blush crawl up her cheeks again. Even after two months, she still felt so uncomfortable around his house staff. She wasn't used to people cooking for her, making her bed, doing her laundry. It didn't feel right.

"Is he home?"

Lucinda nodded, pointing at the kitchen.

The second she entered the state-of-the-art kitchen, she spotted Alex, making himself an espresso and she immediately flashed back to the first time she'd met Alexander Ryder. It had been two months ago, in her sergeant's office, only hours after saying goodbye to Lucian. She'd thought that she'd been called in to get her suspension lifted, but instead, her sergeant had needed her for a job. Alexander Ryder was the mayor's son, so when he came knocking for help, there was no turning him down. And he _needed_ help. In more ways than one. But the most urgent thing he needed help with though, were his finances. Alexander was the founder and CEO of Ryder Enterprises; a billion dollar corporation. He generally ran a tight ship, had everything under control…but then he started noticing small loses in several of his branches. He needed someone to investigate where the money was going, but he needed it done without anyone knowing. Otherwise, whoever was screwing him over, could disappear into the ether with his cash. So, the idea was that Adrianna would slip into Alexander's life as his fiancée. That way, no one would be suspicious about her presence in his office, about her talking to his employees and she could go through confidential data without Alexander worrying anything would get leaked.

She wasn't in the right frame of mind to pretend to be engaged, though. She didn't like to dress up and go out every night when all she wanted to do was stay in her pyjamas and drink. However, her sergeant had promised to lift her suspension as soon as she'd completed this thing, so here she was.

"Morning," he said when those two blue eyes finally spotted her. "Coffee?"

She nodded, sitting down on one of the stools by the kitchen island.

"Didn't sleep well?"

"No, not really," she said. "So, I've gone through the data from January 'till-"

"You're really all work and no play, huh?" he cut her off with a grin, placing a cup of something resembling coffee in front of her. "No, _good morning_. No, _how did you sleep_."

Adrianna sighed, running a hand through her wet curls. "Good morning, how did you sleep? So, I've gone through the data and-"

He laughed that infectious laugh of his, but she still couldn't bring herself to laugh along. Laughing felt…unnatural…without him.

"What's so funny?"

"You," he smiled. "Do you know how many women would _love_ to be here with me, chatting, drinking coffee? Off course, they would've slept in my bed with me, so-"

"I'm just doing my job," she cut him off.

"And that's what's so funny," he grinned. "I think you're the first woman ever to turn me down."

She sniffed, a little smile crawling up her lips. "Tell me, is it hard to have such low self-esteem?"

"Horrible," he grinned, smoothing his hands over his blond hair. "But I've learned to carry the burden."

"Idiot," she smiled.

He shot her that sweet smile of his and once again, she wondered,

 _Why not him?_

Alexander was attractive, charming, funny, successful and genuinely kind. Sure, he had the reputation of being a player and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he'd more than earned that reputation…but he was also the kind of guy who, if he truly loved someone, would be as loyal as a man could get. And yet…nothing. She didn't feel anything even close to what _he'd_ made her feel. There was never that crackling of electricity in the air, that tension in her muscles, that throbbing in her blood. Why did _he_ have to be the only man who could make her ignite like that? Why couldn't she choose to feel that way about someone else, someone less complicated, someone like Alexander?

"So, _couldn't_ you sleep or where you out with Gabriel 'till late again?"

Adrianna rolled her eyes. "I thought I saw your goons lurking around. We talked about this. I told you, it's kind of hard to shadow someone when two bodyguards are shadowing _me_."

"And I told you that I'm not letting my fiancée shadow murderers without anyone watching her back. "

"It's _a_ murderer, _Gabriel_ has my back and I'm _not really_ your fiancée!"

"True, but if you get killed, I'll have to explain to everyone why I let you go out there unprotected, so the bodyguards are staying."

She took a beat, trying to cool down. She couldn't actually remember the last time she'd gone out alone. With Lucian, she was constantly surrounded by guards and now, with Alexander, there were _body_ guards everywhere she turned. The only time she was alone was in her room…Well, technically, _his_ room.

"Fine," she sighed, realizing this was a fight she wouldn't win. Alexander was almost as stubborn as _him_. "But tell your guys to work on laying low. I could spot them a mile away."

"Agreed," he said, getting up. It was only then that she noticed he was already wearing a suit.

"Early day?"

"Conference call with Belgium," he said, pulling out his smartphone. "Any plans today?"

"I have a ton more data to go through so that'll take up most of my time."

"You really can't wait for this job to be over, can you?" he said, shooting her a teasing look. "There are ways to make your time here more _pleasurable_ , you know. I could show you sometime."

She rolled her eyes. "It's in your best interest that I hurry this along, Alex. The more time passes, the bigger the chance this guy will disappear. So, just go to work, Casanova and leave me to mine."

"Okay, fine," he smiled, downing his espresso. "Just promise me you'll let Lucinda fix you some breakfast. I hardly ever see you eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Don't be stubborn, Salvatore. Eat something."

Adrianna just sipped from her coffee, crinkling her nose. Why did every coffee have spices in it these days? What had happened to a regular, black cup of coffee?

"Oh, by the way, there's a possibility I'll need my fiancée on my arm to this thing tonight."

"What thing?"

"No idea. There's just a reminder in my schedule for eight o'clock, but I didn't specify it, so I'll have to check with my secretary. If it's something I need a date for, I'll send a car tonight. Wear the black dress."

Adrianna sniffed. "Sir, yes, sir!"

He laughed again. "I know you're being sarcastic, but I love you calling me sir."

"Get out," she smiled weakly, shoving him to the door.

"As you wish," he smiled. "Remember, black dress."

She just rolled her eyes, watching him leave…and the second the door closed behind him, her smile dropped. She tried to be as cheerful as she could around others, tried not to show what was happening inside of her…but as soon as she was alone, she dropped the act. It was too exhausting.

"Breakfast, miss?"

Adrianna shook her head at the woman, pushing away her coffee before heading back upstairs.

As she waited for her laptop to fire up, she grabbed her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart.

" _You've reached Margaret Grace. I can't come to the phone right now, but leave me a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks!_ "

"Hey," Adrianna sighed, clutching the phone tighter. "I guess you're not there. Again. Or you're just not picking up. Look Mags, I really need to talk to someone. I've had that dream again, which makes it three weeks in a row now. It started with some crazy fantasy again about-" She trailed off, blushing. "It doesn't matter what it was about. It's the second part of the dream that worries me. That's the part that never changes. I'm always in a dark hallway, in a wedding dress and someone's chasing me. I don't know who or why, but I can feel them. And I'm scared, Mags. Not just scared, but in a blind panic. And then, I fall into this darkness. And when I land, Lucian's there. But it's not Lucian. I can't really explain. It was him, but it _wasn't_. And that smell… I can't get the scent of sulphur out of my nose." She shook her head, lying back on the bed. "Look, Mags, I know you must be pissed at me. And I get it. But I'm not sorry. I had no other choice. Killian is the only one who can keep you safe from Rodchenko until I've put him behind bars. Please, try to understand that. And I'm working on it, trust me. I've even teamed up with Gabriel again, but Rodchenko is…slippery. I promise I'll get you back here soon though. I _need_ you back here to unscrew my life; to tell me that I'm out of my mind for missing a man I barely know; to snap me out of this. I just…need you, Mags. And I miss you. Stay safe. And don't hate me too much, okay?" Sighing, she hung up. She hadn't spoken to Maggie since the night she'd asked Killian to take her out of town. She knew she had to be upset. She would be, too. But it was for her own good.

Grabbing the laptop, she installed herself in the bed again, ready to spend her day in her robe, on her laptop, searching for the person who was ripping Alexander off; focusing on the numbers, drowning in them, until there was no more room in her head for anything else.

Or _anyone_ else.

 _Yeah,_ a voice inside her head laughed. _Good luck with that._

Adrianna ignored that voice, scrolling through the files as she reminded herself of the fact that that part of her life was over and done with. She might still dream about him, but Lucian Nox was a closed chapter. She would never see him again.

And she was fine with that.

That voice inside laughed even harder.

* * *

"Maybe you should take it easy on the scotch."

Hades glared at Aphrodite before downing his drink and immediately pouring himself a fresh one. From the back of his town car, he watched the world grow darker, colder, shadowing his mood.

"Why are we doing this again?" the goddess asked on a sigh. "You're clearly not in the right frame of mind to do, well, _anything_. Let alone go out. Look at you. You're a mess."

His hand tightened on his glass as he shot her another glare. But he knew she was right. He hadn't shaved in days, he barely slept and the rare times he _did_ sleep, she was there, torturing him. Like the dream he'd had last night. He'd dreamt he'd told her everything; why he was there, who he really was…and she'd still looked at him in that way that made his heart soar. Like he was a man and not the monster he knew he was. She'd kissed him and told him she loved him, no matter who he used to be or what he'd done. She knew the truth…and still loved him.

And then, he woke up.

Without her.

Doomed to spend another day missing her, thinking about her every fucking second of every fucking day. The only thing that kept him going was his mission: translate the codex and hide her from his brothers until her twenty-fifth birthday, so she could live a long, Immortal life with the people she loved; the people who deserved her.

"We won't stay long," he growled. "I got a tip that a sorcerer named Rellix will be at this thing. He's rumored to know where the key is that can translate that damned Codex. He doesn't resurface much, so this is my only shot at getting to him."

"Do you know what he looks like?"

"That's where you come in," he rumbled, taking another large gulp from his drink. "The longer I stay in this miserable world, the more out of touch I get with other supernatural beings. I can't sense them as well anymore. But you can. This Rellix-guy is supposed to be a big deal, so if he's anywhere near this party, you should be able to pick up on his power."

"So, I'm basically just a sniff dog for the Supernatural?"

"Basically. You point him out to me and I get what I need."

She huffed. "Like you have any idea what you need."

Hades ignoring her as he poured himself yet another drink…but the goddess of love wasn't so easily dismissed.

"Are we really not going to talk about the elephant in the room, or in this case, the car?"

He narrowed his eyes, warning her to back off.

She didn't listen.

"I know what happened in the dream."

The glass Hades had been bringing to his lips stopped mid-air as his heart tried to remember how to beat. He knew exactly what dream she was talking about. The dream on the beach. The one he'd had right after he'd chased her out of his loft. The one where she'd cried in his arms, begging to stay.

"You spied on us?" Hades hissed dangerously.

"That was the first and the last time, I swear, but I had to know what she would say-"

"Why?!" he barked. "Why did you _have_ to know?!"

"Because I knew that you'd ignore her wishes and I wanted to be able to speak for her, that's why!"

"It's not up to you to speak for her!"

"And yet, here I am, reminding you of the fact that she told you that she wants to be with you, even if it's just for a limited amount of time!"

"She doesn't know what she's saying! And neither do you!"

"Yes, I do! Love is what I do-"

"-as your job!" he yelled. "Have you ever really loved someone, Aphrodite? Needed them so badly that the simplest things become almost impossible without them?! Loved them so desperately that you were willing to sacrifice everything, including your own happiness, to keep them from harm?! If you had, if you'd _ever_ felt that, you wouldn't ask me to be selfish!"

"It's not being selfish! She wants it, too!"

 _She's right,_ the monster inside whispered.

"Just think about it, Hades! Adrianna said-"

"I know what she said and this conversation is still over!"

"But she wants you!"

"Enough!"

"Hades-"

"Enough, Aphrodite!"

The goddess snapped her mouth shut, a little flicker of fear in her eyes as the windows around them practically vibrated from his outburst.

"Fine," she said after a long moment of loaded silence. "Be miserable then, but don't say I didn't try to help you."

"I don't need your help."

"No, you need _her_."

"What I _need_ is for her to be safe! What I _need_ is to translate that goddamned codex so I can get the hell out of here and-"

"And what? Do you think the pain you feel now will be any less when you leave this world? Or that she will feel the loss _of you_ any less? 'Cause that's what she's feeling right now, Hades. Loss. She won't admit that, nor will she understand it, but she will _always_ miss you!"

Hades clutched his jaw, gnarling, "I can't keep having this discussion with you."

"Discussion? It's never a discussion! You just decide and then refuse to listen to reason-"

"Because you have no idea what you're asking me to do!"

"I'm asking you to be happy-"

"By ruining her!"

Hades took a deep breath, trying to calm down…to no avail.

"How did you see this end, Aphrodite?!" he hissed. "Let's say I go to her, beg her forgiveness and she somehow grants me that kindness. Then what? We live happily ever after? No! It can only end! I will never do what my brothers want me to do, I will never promise her a life I can't deliver on! So, what do I possibly have to offer her?!"

"Love," she whispered without missing a beat. "Pure love. Do you know how rare that is, Hades? How few people get to experience that? Even just a flicker of it is better than never having it at all."

"That's bullshit! Loving someone when it can never last, is an unnecessary cruelty."

"Really?" she said, cocking an eyebrow. "So, if I could take your love for her away, right now, you would want that?"

Hades' stomach dropped, something cold seeping into his bloodstream.

"You would want that, right?" the goddess pushed with knowing eyes. "I mean, if your faith is so cruel, if loving her is such a burden, you would want me to take it away from you, wouldn't you?" Her slim fingers reached out for his heart. "I could get all that nasty love out of you right now and-"

He slapped her hand away before she could touch him, shooting her a deadly glare.

"Yeah," she smiled, arrogantly. "That's what I thought. Even though it hurts, you wouldn't want to give that feeling up for anything in the world, would you? It fuels you, fills you, gives you a purpose. Why wouldn't you want her to feel that way?"

The car slowing down saved Hades from answering. Not that he had an answer. Deep down, he knew she was right…but he couldn't bring himself to accept that. He couldn't let himself give in.

Simmering with rage, he got out of the car, practically _jerking_ Aphrodite out when he opened the door for her.

"Oh, I like this," Aphrodite chimed when they entered the impressive building. "Columns, high ceilings, chandeliers. It reminds me of home."

"Yeah, throw in an asshole to rule the whole damned thing and it's Olympus."

Aphrodite slapped his chest. "Zeus is not an asshole."

"He's threatening the one person I love," Hades snarled. "He's an asshole."

Aphrodite was already so lost in the splendor of the whole thing that she just mumbled in agreement, gazing up at the murals as they walked further into the hall. When they reached the crowd, Hades sighed, rubbing his eyes as he mumbled under his breath, "Humans."

"Oh come on, they're not that bad," the goddess chimed, her eyes sparkling. Her _brown_ eyes. It was strange to see Aphrodite without her golden eyes, but like him, she was mortal now. At least for a few hours. She had on a necklace like his, trapping her power inside until she broke the crystal that dangled from the silver chain. Hers was only a temporary crystal, but it did the trick.

"How can you stand to be around these creatures?" He whispered, watching the humans fill the room to the brim. "Look at them."

"Exactly, look at them! Don't you feel the urgency?"

"The urgency?"

"Yes! They have such limited time to live their lives, so everything they do is more intense, more dramatic. I never feel like that. I can only imagine how exhilarating it must be to know that every breath may be your last!"

"You give them too much credit, Aphrodite. They're not living life to the fullest. All these things care about is money, sex and power."

She just rolled her eyes, her enthusiasm still oozing out of her.

"I'm going to mingle."

She moved to walk away, but Hades grabbed her arm, keeping her in place. "We're not here to mingle, Aphrodite. We-"

"Amory."

"What?"

"It's the name I use when I'm in this world," she explained. "I can't very well tell people my name is Aphrodite."

"So you chose _Amory_?"

"Oh, right," she said, cocking an eyebrow. "Because _Lucian Nox_ is such a subtle name."

"Okay, fine, _Amory_ , like I was saying, we're not here to mingle. We're here to find-"

"-Rellix. Yes, I remember, but how do you expect me to pick up on his power without coming into contact with anyone?"

 _She has a point._

"Fine," he conceded, releasing his grip. "But don't get side-tracked. Find Rellix and report back so we can get this over with."

She sniffed, shaking her head. "You're really the life of the party, aren't you?"

"Just go."

Her lips twitched and then, she was off, disappearing in the crowd. Hades, on the other hand, made a beeline to the bar in the back of the room. Not that alcohol actually helped. He'd tried drinking until he could barely stand, but even though his body had a breaking point, his mind seemed determined to hold on, no matter how much he drank. He just couldn't forget her warm smile, that infectious laugh, that warm voice-

God, her voice.

He missed talking to her so fucking much…

"You look like you love being here about as much as I do."

Hades sighed mentally as he glanced at the man who'd popped up beside him. Why did humans always feel the need to socialize?

"Look," he gnarled. "No offense, but I'm not in the mood to talk."

"I get it. I hate these things, too."

He'd expected the man to walk away then, getting the hint…but no such luck.

"I got to tell you, I'm happy I'm not the only openly miserable person here. I mean, do you think anyone actually enjoys these things or are they all just good actors?"

"I'd put my money on the latter," he rumbled, snapping at the bartender. "Scotch. Double."

"Make that two," the oblivious guy said, casually leaning back against the bar. "Hey, at least the evening won't be a total waste, right? An open bar is always a plus. Not to mention that chef Lareu is catering this thing."

"Catering?" Hades snarled. "Please, tell me you mean hors d'oeuvres."

He laughed again. "You didn't know there was a dinner included? Why do you think you paid 5000 dollars for one ticket to this thing?"

"5000 dollars?" He should've probably checked the charge before giving out his credit card information. Not that he would've let the price stop him. When it came to finding the key to protect Adrianna, nothing was too expensive, too hard or too dangerous. Keeping her safe was all that mattered. Besides, thanks to his clubs and hotels, money really wasn't an issue.

"I just hope my date shows up anytime soon," the man said, checking his watch. "Otherwise, I've flushed five grant down the drain."

 _And I just hope Aphrodite finds this Rellix-guy before this dinner starts, so I can get the hell out of here before I kill someone. Probably this moron._

"So, I saw you come in with the blonde," the man continued, nodding at Aphrodite, who was working the room. "I have to say, I don't get how you could possibly be miserable anywhere with _that_ on your arm."

Hades felt his chest clench as her face popped up in his mind's eye. Compared to Adrianna, Aphrodite was nothing. The goddess didn't have her sweet lips or her blindingly beautiful eyes or the ability to make him feel like everything was going to be alright, despite knowing better.

"Are you two together?" the guy asked, his voice a little unsure. "Or is this just a friends-thing?"

Hades sniffed, bringing his glass to his lips.

 _Behold, humans,_ the monster inside mocked. _His date is a little late so he moves on to the next one. How fickle they are._

He was envious of their ability to move from one woman to another though; to have the option of finding comfort in someone else's arms, never feeling the anguish of rejection or the pain of loving someone you couldn't have. _He_ didn't have that luxury. For him, there was only one girl, one woman. There was no moving on from her or finding comfort. She was _all_.

"Hey, I had to ask," the guy smiled. "You can't blame a guy for trying."

"Can't you?" Hades hissed into his glass.

The idiot's smile faltered for just a second…but then, his eyes flickered to a point over Hades' shoulder and he grinned even wider than before. "There's my girl. Fashionably late, as always."

"Okay, great," Hades said, seeing this as his chance to ditch him. "It was nice to meet-"

"I'm so sorry I'm late."

And just like that, Hades couldn't move.

For a naive second, he wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him, if maybe it hadn't been her hauntingly beautiful voice ringing in his ears; if maybe he was just imagining things. There was always a chance he was going mad.

However, every flicker of hope he had of being in the middle of a mental breakdown vanished when she passed him to get to the man he'd been speaking to…and he saw her, in all her glorious beauty.

And _God_ , was she glorious.

The deep red dress she wore hugged her in all the right places, emphasizing her delicious hips, her hourglass waist and those breasts that had felt so good pressed against his chest. She wore barely any make-up, only her lips were painted in the same color as her dress and her black hair was cascading in thick curls over her back and shoulders, practically begging for him to twirl them around his fingers.

She was a vision…

 _Being away from you clearly agrees with her,_ the monster pointed out.

"I got caught up and lost track of time," she sang. "I know you hate it when I'm-"

The words died on her lips when her eyes, those brilliant blue eyes, finally found his.

For a long second, nothing was said, only silence filling the space between them. Silence and something else; something warm and pressing; something that made the very air between them crackle. If he'd thought that being apart from her for two months had somehow diminished his desire for her, he was proven wrong in that very moment. And he wasn't the only one feeling the sudden charge in the air. As soon as she'd seen him, Adrianna's pupils had dilated, the hairs on her arm standing up; her cheeks flushing with blood…

Her body still responded to him.

And _fuck_ , did his respond to her. Everything was on fire; the air, his blood, his skin. Even his very soul.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?"

Hades could barely suppress a growl as Adrianna blinked wildly, breaking their stare.

 _Sweetheart?!_

Her spine stiffening, Adrianna smiled an unconvincing smile at that fucker, rubbing her forehead.

"Sorry," she whispered. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just a little hot in here."

The guy frowned, touching the back of his hand to her forehead, making her blush grow even deeper as Hades' hands fisted by his sides.

 _Who is this asshole?!_

"You feel really warm. Are you sure you're not getting sick?"

Hades pushed back a growl. She wasn't sick. She was feeling hot for the same reason his body suddenly felt like it had been tossed into the fires of hell.

"I'm okay," she reassured him, those luscious lips curling into a sweet smile.

When her eyes flickered back to his, the man let out a huff, addressing Hades again as he said, "I'm sorry, I just realize we haven't actually been introduced. I'm Alexander Ryder."

Hades kept his gaze on Adrianna, her eyes everywhere but on him as he rumbled, "Lucian Nox."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, mister Nox."

Hades knew common curtesy demanded he'd say the same thing, but he couldn't get the words past his lips. He found no pleasure whatsoever in meeting that bastard. Although, if he didn't get his hands off Adrianna's back soon, he'd break every single one of his fingers…and he couldn't deny that prospect made him feel tingly inside.

"And this is Adrianna," Ryder continued, still oblivious to the tension that had filled the room. "Adrianna Salvatore. She's usually much more talkative than this, but I think her social skills are running late, too."

Hades could feel another growl built in his chest as he watched her cheeks turn an even darker shade of red in embarrassment.

 _Is he ridiculing her?_

His muscles rippling under his skin, he started to move forward…but before he could do or say anything, Adrianna reached out her hand and said, "I'm sorry, you'll have to excuse my rudeness. It's a pleasure to meet you, mister Nox."

He frowned, confused…until he realized she probably didn't want to explain their past to her fucking date.

Biting his tongue, he took the hand she'd offered, playing along...and immediately regretting it.

 _God_ , she felt good.

Soft.

Warm.

 _Mine_.

As if hearing his monster's possessive snarl, she jerked her hand back, her fingers curling into a tight fist. At first, Hades didn't understand why her eyes were suddenly a touch harder…but then, Aphrodite showed up beside him, flashing those white teeth of hers.

"Hi," Ryder broke the silence, greeting Aphrodite. "Alexander Ryder."

Aphrodite took the hand he held out, singing, "Amory."

"Amory," the slime ball grinned. "What a beautiful name."

 _Seriously?_ His monster hissed. I _s he flirting with another woman when Adrianna's right there? What is wrong with human men?!_

"Hello," Aphrodite said, addressing Adrianna with a sweet smile. "It's nice to meet you as well."

Adrianna tried to smile as she introduced herself, but he recognized that tension in her body, that flicker of anger in her eyes. He recognized it, because that tension and anger had been present in him too since the second that Ryder asshole had laid a hand on her.

She was jealous.

He knew he shouldn't enjoy this; knew he should tell her Aphrodite was his niece, but the monster inside really _loved_ her jealousy. It made him even harder than he already was.

The lights above flickered and in unison, the crowd started moving out of the room and up a grand staircase.

"Dinner time," Ryder explained, his arm sneaking around Adrianna's waist. "You know what would make this evening a whole lot more tolerable? If you two would sit with us for dinner."

Adrianna's eyes met his, a flicker of panic in them, but before either of them could say anything, Aphrodite chimed, "What a wonderful idea!"

"Alexander-" Adrianna started.

"Well, unless anyone has any objections to it," the goddess laughed, feigning innocence. "Although I wouldn't know why. What possible reason could there be for us to not enjoy a nice meal together?"

And with that, Hades knew she'd had them cornered. If he or Adrianna made a big deal about it now, even that Ryder-fuck would know something was up.

 _Good!_ His monster gnarled. _Let him know! Show him she's yours!_

"Great!" Ryder said. "Let's go!"

As they walked out in front of them, Hades felt his nails dig in his palms. That guy's hand shouldn't be on her hip, his lips shouldn't be on her ear and she sure as hell shouldn't be blushing.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Hades gnarled under his breath, glaring at Aphrodite.

"What you told me to do," she sang. "Finding Rellix. He wasn't in the crowd, so we have no choice but to stay."

"You know what I mean," he spit out, his hold on her arm tightening. "Why would you agree to have dinner with them?"

"Because I would like to get to know the woman who made Death love," she said, unapologetic. "Besides, I thought you'd be happy."

"Happy?!"

"Yes. Wasn't this the whole point of your masterplan? To have Adrianna move on with someone who could give her a life? Well, she's moving on. Aren't you delighted?"

Hades shot her a deadly look.

"What? You know I'm right. You practically pushed her in this man's arms. So, deal with it," she said, adding on a smile, "Or don't. You can still change your mind, be with her. I'm sure they're not serious yet. You can still win her back."

Hades wanted to ignore her…but her words had hit home. The possessive animal inside of him that had been dormant without Adrianna around, was now wide awake, begging him to grab his woman and take her home…

But he couldn't do that…even though when Ryder pulled her chair back and Adrianna cast him a sweet smile, he couldn't quite remember why.

As she slipped into her seat, Hades noticed Adrianna's eyes briefly lingering on the exit-sign by the door. She was debating whether or not she should just go...but like him, she realized that leaving would only look suspicious. If she suddenly left, she would have to explain herself to that bastard sitting beside her. She would have to tell him about their kiss, about what had happened between them in his loft…about how she'd moaned in his mouth, trembled beneath his fingers, pulled his hair as he'd licked a trail down her chest…

"What happened to the black dress?" he heard Ryder whisper, snapping him out of his memory.

"Nothing happened to it," Adrianna whispered back. "It's still hanging safely in the closet."

Ryder laughed, but Adrianna didn't laugh along. She tried to smile, but when her eyes touched Hades, her lips dropped again.

"So, miss Salvatore," Aphrodite chimed once they were all seated. "Tell me, how did you two meet?"

Adrianna blushed as Hades cursed that blonde demon beside him.

He didn't want to fucking hear this.

And from the looks of it, Adrianna wasn't keen on telling them either. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, singing, "It's a boring story."

"Bite your tongue," Ryder chimed in, pushing a curl out of her eyes, his fingertips brushing her jaw.

 _Kill him!_ His monster snarled. _Or at least cut his fucking fingers off!_

"She bumped into me on the street," Ryder said, unaware of the danger he was in. "Literally. She was out for a run and didn't see where she was going. She was all sweaty, out of breath, wearing this ridiculous hoodie…but I knew right then and there that she was the girl for me."

Hades sniffed, making Adrianna's eyes fly back to him…and they were flashing; a silent warning to behave. Why he listened; why he didn't just take her right there on the table and showed her who she belonged to? He had no idea. And the longer he sat there, watching her, smelling her, the more his motivations for behaving became unclear.

"What?" Ryder asked. "You don't believe in love at first sight?"

Adrianna looked away again as Hades held back laughter. Off course he believed in love at first sight! He'd loved Adrianna since before she was born, before her ancestors were even born, simply from one glimpse of her in a blurry vision. But that was because Adrianna was his soulmate; not some random girl he'd bumped into on the street. Whatever this fuck had felt the moment he'd laid eyes on her, it sure as hell hadn't been love.

"Mister Nox is obviously too level headed to grasp a concept like love at first sight," Adrianna answered his question, her eyes cold on his. But there was something beneath that cold. A touch of something playful…and _fuck_ , he wanted to play.

"Is that so, miss Salvatore?" he rumbled.

She gave him a tight little smile. He had no idea how she managed that when she was staring daggers at him. "You seem like the kind of man who's head rules his heart and not the other way around."

"And that's a bad thing? Being realistic?"

"Just because something doesn't fit into _your_ reality, doesn't mean it's not realistic. It means that you have to make room for it in your life; that you might have to be open-minded and-no offense, mister Nox- but you don't strike me as the open-minded type."

"Don't I?" he rumbled, shifting in his chair as he grew even harder. God, he'd missed seeing that stubborn fire in those blue depths.

"No, you don't. I think you're the kind of man who is set in his ways, who is so used to being tough and cold in business that you forgot how to be human, how to express emotion."

"Adrianna," Ryder scolded, clearly confused by her attitude towards a complete stranger…but she ignored him, keeping her glare going. "You'll have to excuse her. She doesn't mean it."

 _He's speaking for her, now?_ The monster snarled as her eyes continued to bore into his. _And she's_ letting him _speak for her?_

"You might be right, miss Salvatore," Hades growled, ignoring that fucker. "Would you like me to change my ways and express how I'm feeling right this very moment?"

Adrianna's eyes narrowed; a warning…or a dare? She clearly didn't believe he would call her out on this charade…but if that asshole didn't stop eye-fucking his woman asap, he would show her just how fucking wrong she was!

"Would anyone like a drink?"

"Scotch," Hades snapped at the waiter, keeping his eyes locked on Adrianna's.

"I'll have a white wine," Aphrodite said beside him.

"Red for me," Ryder said. "And a Chardonnay for my date."

Hades gritted his teeth, noticing a touch of annoyance flicker in her eyes. She hated Chardonnay. Why wasn't she correcting him? Why was she being so damned submissive? If _he'd_ pulled that crap on her, she would've told him to shove it and ordered herself a scotch. That's what she liked, what she wanted. Not a fucking Chardonnay.

"And you? How did you two meet?"

Adrianna's eyes dropped from his again at Ryder's question, her body tense as she focused her attention on the goddess sitting beside him.

Fuck, he'd never realized what a turn-on a jealous Adrianna was. That blush on her neck, that simmering anger in her eyes…all because she thought he was sleeping with another woman. He had no idea why that was so damned hot, but it fucking was. If she only knew how insignificant the blonde was; who he really wanted...hard, right there, on the fucking table in front of that fucking asshole-

"Us?" Aphrodite laughed. "Oh no, we-"

"-don't really have a romantic story like yours," he finished for her, flashing the goddess a fake smile. She shot him an annoyed look, but she didn't call him out on his lie. If she told them now that they were related, she'd embarrass him…and she was too polite for that. "Like miss Salvatore pointed out, I'm not the romantic type."

Adrianna sniffed, her jaw setting.

"So, mister Ryder," Aphrodite changed the subject. "Why does your name sound so familiar?"

"Please," he smiled with too much seduction. "Call me Alexander. And my company is based right here in the city, Ryder Enterprises, so perhaps that's why-"

"He's the mayor's son," Hades cut him off, a hint of mockery in his voice. " _That's_ why."

Ryder still smiled, but Hades could tell he'd touched a nerve. The man clearly didn't like being associated with his old man. He probably didn't want people to think his success was only a result of his powerful father, even though it undoubtedly was. Hades could almost see the silver spoon in his fucking mouth. Spoiled little-

"Or maybe you know him because of all the charity work he's done," Adrianna shot back, glaring. "Or because of the fact that he donates one third of his profits to cancer research every year. Although, come to think of it, you probably wouldn't know about that, since he doesn't feel the need to broadcast his good deeds."

Ryder's lips twitched at her kindness. She was sticking up for him, seeing the good. He remembered what that felt like…. She didn't see any good in him now, though. Not anymore. Why should she? Without her, there was no more good. In fact, if she had any idea what he was thinking when Ryder laid his hand on Adrianna's leg underneath the table, she probably would've stabbed him with the silver knife in front of her.

Tightening his grip on his chair, he fought to suppress his rage, although it was hard to do when even the smiles on their faces made his blood boil.

How could she fall for _that_ guy?

That boy seemed barely old enough to drive, let alone have his hand on her leg.

"And you, miss Salvatore?" Aphrodite kept the conversation going. "What is it that you do?"

"I'm a homicide detective."

"Well, not currently."

Adrianna's jaw locked at Ryder's comment, but the idiot didn't pick up on it.

"She's currently suspended," he added insult to injury.

"What happened?" the goddess asked.

"It's not important," Adrianna mumbled, unfolding her napkin on her lap. "I don't want to bore you."

"Bore me?" Aphrodite chimed. "I'm sure you won't bore me. I mean, how many people are lucky enough to talk to a real-life homicide detective?"

"Well, generally only people who are suspected of murder or who's loved one has been murdered, so I wouldn't exactly call them lucky."

Hades barely managed not to grin. He could tell by Aphrodite's twitching lips that she was picking up on Adrianna's jealousy too and she was enjoying it almost as much as Hades was. Almost. He was pretty sure the goddess wasn't imagining fucking Adrianna's brains out against the wall.

"My suspension was really just a misunderstanding," Adrianna added, her voice softer. She must've realized she'd been rude and was trying to fix it.

 _My sweet girl._

"Wait a second," Ryder suddenly said, frowning. "Lucian Nox? You're not the Nox who runs Club Cepa, are you?"

"Yes," he rumbled. "I own Cepa."

"Well, I'll be damned," He laughed. "I love that place. I practically lived in Cepa when I was in Paris last year."

"Paris?" Adrianna frowned. "You have a club in Paris, too?"

"And Prague, Swiss, Budapest," Ryder said mockingly. "You can pretty much find Cepa all over the world. It's a chain, sweetheart."

Adrianna's face flushed. That was the third time that fuck had embarrassed her in public. One more time and Hades was going to rip that sharp tongue right out of his big mouth.

"As you can tell, my girl isn't really into the club-scene," he continued. "She doesn't share my taste."

"Maybe she should taste something else, then."

For the first time, Ryder's blue eyes narrowed just a smidgen and gathering from the kick Aphrodite gave him under the table, he knew his façade was dropping. But what the hell did she expect? How was he supposed to sit through an entire dinner with her and that fuck, acting like everything was great, when inside he was dying?

"She dragged me to this ballet two nights ago," Ryder picked up the conversation, forgiving Hades' crude remark. "A modern interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. I didn't get it."

"What is there not to get?" Aphrodite asked, smiling. "It's a pretty straightforward story."

"Oh, I get the story," Ryder said, reciprocating her smile. "I just don't get why people still go see Romeo and Juliet. I mean, everyone knows what it's about and even how it's going to end. Two kids think they're in love even though it's obviously just some teenage crush, get married, have sex and then kill themselves. The end. I really don't see the attraction."

"Then you're not paying attention," Adrianna snapped.

Lucian could see the blood rush to her cheeks, see her chest rise and fall a little faster, see that little angry fire blazing in her eyes. God, anger made her even more beautiful then she already was to begin with…

"What am I missing, then?" Ryder asked, smiling.

"Well, first of all, why couldn't their love have been real? Why do you define it as nothing more than a crush?"

"Because they only met once!"

"Only minutes ago, you were advocating for love at first sight. Why couldn't that have happened to them? Because of their age? Love knows no age."

"True," Aphrodite whispered, sipping from her glass.

"And secondly," Adrianna continued, her passion palpable. "You make it sound like their deaths were their own fault, like they brought it on themselves when it were outer forces who determined their demise. Without the adults meddling in, they could've been happy. So how was it their fault that-"

"Because they made stupid choices."

Adrianna's flew back to Hades, surprise flickering in them at his interjection.

"Which choices did they make that you would define as stupid?" she asked.

"Every single one," Hades rumbled, taking a large gulp from his scotch before he continued. "The first one was falling in love to begin with and-"

"Love isn't a choice," she cut him off, frowning. "Love is something that happens to you. It can't be forced between two people when it isn't there and it can't be stopped when it is."

"That's bullshit," he growled, watching her eyes widen a little. "We are not helpless victims to love. And even if that was the case, Romeo should've had the sense to walk away. What did he think was going to happen? They were sworn enemies. Was he really so naive that he believed his family would change their minds and let him be with the woman he loved? Faith is not that kind. His family would've never let him be happy. They always would've stood in the way, endangered the life of the only woman who'd ever mattered to him. If he'd truly loved her, he would've walked away. He would've let her marry Paris and live a normal life."

Aphrodite squirmed in her seat beside him. She'd picked up on the fact that he wasn't just talking about the play anymore. Luckily, Adrianna didn't seem to notice.

And she wasn't going to give up, either.

"It's not that easy, mister Nox," she said, clearly annoyed. "He loved her so much-"

"-he killed her!" he replied, clutching his glass tighter. "Because he couldn't keep it in his pants, they both ended up dead, making the whole thing pointless."

"Not pointless," Adrianna snapped, shaking her head, her curls brushing over her porcelain skin. "They loved! People spend their whole lives looking for what they found-"

"They found it _for a day_!"

"That doesn't matter! You just don't get it, do you? Whether it's for a day, or a year, or fifty years, they knew what it was like to love another and be loved in return! I would rather spend one day feeling that way than live forever and never feel anything like that!"

"Hear, hear," Aphrodite chimed, raising her glass to Adrianna. "I like you, miss Salvatore."

Hades finished half of his scotch, keeping his eyes locked on Adrianna's. That was the second time she'd told him she would rather love for a moment than life forever without love.

 _So, grant her that,_ the monster whispered. _Love her._

 _She doesn't know what she's saying!_

 _Really? It sure seems like she does._

 _Humans always think short-term, gratifying every desire when it pleases them-_

 _Sounds good._

 _-I don't have that luxury! If I pleased my every desire, I'd already be balls-deep inside her, making love to her until the world ended!_

 _So do that! God, please, do that!_

 _No! I'm finding that Codex, protecting her from my brothers and then I'm letting her live her life-_

 _With_ him _?!_

"You know," that asshole interrupted, making Adrianna break their glare. "Now that I have you here, I have to ask, what does Cepa mean? Is it a pet's name or something?"

"It's Russian," Hades growled, offended. Like he would name his club after a fucking pet.

"You're Russian?"

"No," he snapped as two waiters came to their table, putting a pear and walnut salad in front of them. "But I speak it."

"I have to admit my Russian is a bit rusty," Ryder laughed. "What exactly does it mean?"

"It means sulphur."

The loud clang of silver hitting porcelain made Aphrodite jump as Ryder laughed at his date's clumsiness.

But Hades didn't find it amusing.

Not at all.

He'd seen how every drop of blood had flooded from her cheeks and lips as she'd dropped her fork on her plate; had seen how she'd stopped breathing; how a touch of fear had flashed in her bright, blue eyes.

Something had spooked her…and he had no idea what it was.

"Are you alright?" Hades whispered.

She looked at him, bewildered, opening her mouth…but no words made it out. Her eyes just switched back and forth between his, as if searching for something. And then, she stood up so fast her stool scraped across the floor. Hades could see a few heads turn towards the racket, but he couldn't care less. Something was wrong with her.

"Sweetheart?" Ryder whispered. "Are you alright?"

She nodded tightly, dropping her napkin on the table. "I'm fine. Please excuse me for a moment."

She walked away before anyone could object.

"She's really not usually like this," Ryder said. "I apologize."

 _Apologize?_ Hades thought, his hands fisting by his side. _How about going to check on her, you stupid-_

"Is she alright?" Aphrodite asked.

"I'm sure she's fine. She's just been under a lot of stress. Between being suspended and planning the wedding-"

 _The wedding?_ For a moment, Hades felt like he was back in that cold cave, surrounded by death, letting the darkness consume him.

"You and Adrianna are getting married?" Aphrodite asked. He could hear the shock in her voice, the fear. She knew how this would make him feel.

"We are," Ryder answered proudly. "I never thought she'd say yes, though, but when you know, you know, right? And what man would let a woman like Adrianna slip through his fingers? You would have to be a special kind of moron to-"

Hades growled, jerking up violently. He could hear Ryder ask what was wrong, but he ignored him, stalking to the same door Adrianna had disappeared through. He knew it was a bad idea, he really did…but as soon as the fuck had said Adrianna was binding herself to him, the monster had taken the reigns.

And the monster only wanted one thing..

* * *

Adrianna moaned at her reflection, holding herself up by the marble sink. Her face was pale and clammy, not at all resembling the woman she'd seen in the mirror before leaving Alexander's home. Off course, an hour ago, she'd never suspected the night would turn out this way.

She never suspected Lucian would be here.

With _her_.

Pushing her hair over her shoulders, she splashed cold water in her face, welcoming the cool relieve, but it didn't help with the nausea. That smell was back. The smell of _sulphur_ …of _Cepa_.

"It's just a coincidence," Adrianna told her reflection as she dapped her face dry. "Nothing else. This has nothing to do with your dreams."

 _Pretty big coincidence, don't you think?_

"I've heard my mother speaking Russian," she whispered, trying to have it make sense. "I must've heard the word cepa before. I must've known somewhere deep down that cepa meant sulphur and I just linked it to his club, to him. That's why I dreamt about it while I was dreaming about Lucian. That's the only reasonable explanation."

 _The only reasonable one, sure. But what if this has nothing to do with reason?_

She shook her head, trying to get rid of that damned voice…but she knew it had a point.

Grabbing her phone out of her black clutch, she started dialing Maggie's number again, needing to talk…but before she could finish, her phone went off and the name Vasquez appeared on the screen.

"Hi, Gabriel," she said, leaning against the stone wall, letting the cold touch her back.

"Hi," his deep voice greeted. "I got your message and I just wanted to let you know that it's no problem. I can shadow Rodchenko alone tonight."

"Thanks," she sighed. "And sorry about that. Alexander dragged me to this charity-thing and-"

"Hey, I get it," the PI said, his voice kind. "You need to do this to get your job back. It's fine. I can do one night without sleep."

She smiled, rubbing her forehead.

"Are you okay, Anna? You sound kind of-"

 _Heartbroken?_

 _Confused?_

"-exhausted."

She sniffed. Her lack of sleep was the least of her problems. It were the dreams that haunted her when she _did_ sleep that tore her apart…and the man that now continued to haunt her even when she was awake. What was he doing here? He hated social events. Or, at least, that's what he'd told her. Now, however, after seeing him with that woman, she wasn't even sure if a single word out of his mouth had been true.

 _So much for not wanting to corrupt anyone with his darkness! I guess now that it's a blonde supermodel on his arm, his internal struggle isn't quite so hard to overcome!_

She could feel her heart speeding up, anger curling in her stomach. It had never been about 'protecting her from his darkness'! He just didn't want to be with her…and instead of just telling her that, he'd treated her like a fragile little puppet who surely couldn't handle rejection from a stud like him and he'd made up that ridiculous excuse.

 _Who the hell did that son of a bitch think he was?!_

"Adrianna?"

She jumped, completely forgotten she was still on the phone with Gabriel.

"Sorry," she rushed. "You're right, I'm exhausted, but it's nothing I can't deal with."

"Okay," he said, his voice still worried. "You're sure that's all it is? You're just tired?"

"Yes, I promise, Gabriel," she lied. "It's nothing that a good night sleep won't fix. I'll be back in that car with you tomorrow, ready to stake out Rodchenko's place. I promi-"

All of a sudden, the door to the bathroom slammed open and in stormed Lucian, his eyes shooting fire.

She knew it was messed up; knew she should hate him, but her traitorous heart soared.

It shouldn't be, though. It shouldn't matter that she'd missed him; it shouldn't feel like the world was right again, like she was waking up from a deep sleep-a nightmare-and now everything was back to the way it should be.

Because, it wasn't.

He'd still sent her away two months ago…only to show up now with someone else.

Someone gorgeous.

Her anger blazing even hotter, she raised her chin, trying to ignore the tingling sensation in her belly; trying not to notice how well that tuxedo fit him, how rugged that little stubble on his jaw made him look, how warm those grey eyes made her feel. She shouldn't notice any of that!

"I'll call you back," she quickly whispered into the phone before slipping it back in her purse and snapping at the huge man in front of her, "This is the ladies room. You shouldn't be-"

"You're working with Vasquez again?!" he growled, his deep, raw voice making her knees tremble. "Are you kidding me, woman?!"

Adrianna's jaw actually slackened, her mind in shock.

That's why he was there?! To scold her, like a child?!

"You were listening in on me?!" she hissed. "What gives you the right-"

"Save it, Adrianna!" he snarled. "You're working with that idiot again?! Are you out of your mind?!"

She fisted her hands, holding back the string off curses that were on the tip of her tongue. "I don't have to justify myself to you!"

"You do remember Rodchenko saying that he was done with blondes and that his tastes had changed, right?!" he fumed. "That was a treat, Adrianna! He meant he's coming after you!"

"I know that! I'm not an idiot!"

"Then don't act like one!"

She grabbed her clutch tighter, digging her fingers into the material, trying to stop herself from slapping his stupid, beautiful face.

"I'm a big girl, mister Nox! I don't need you to look after me!"

"Like hell you don't!" He took a step closer to her, flooding her weak mind with fantasies. "I take my eyes off you for two months and you're working with that fucking PI again and getting married to some fucker you barely know!"

The clutch squeaked from the assault of her tightening fists. "You don't know what you're talking about! On either matter!"

"So, I'm wrong, then? You're not working with that amateur and you know that asshole sufficiently enough to marry him?!"

"First of all, Gabriel is not an amateur-"

"And yet, two months ago, you said you were done with him!"

"That was before I held a dying girl in my arms!"

Lucian's eyes turned a touch softer …but then they blazed again as they dropped to the ring on her finger, a ring that caught and reflected the dim light in the room.

"And that guy who you promised yourself to?! You know him well enough to bind yourself to him for the rest of your life? Your possibly _immortal_ life?!""

"Yes."

"Oh, please," he growled, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "He ordered you a Chardonnay for fuck's sake!

"So?!"

"So, you hate Chardonnay!"

"Tastes change!"

She could tell by his flaring nostrils that he'd understood the double entendre…and didn't like it at all.

Watching him get angrier by the second, she ground her teeth, her nails digging into her palms. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to talk to him, see him….because it hurt too much. It hurt to realize that even _fighting with him_ made her feel better than she'd felt in the past months without him.

"Just go Lucian. Go back to your date-"

"And you _fiancée_?" He spat out that last word with disgust, making Adrianna's heart clench. "Yeah, let's go back and have a nice fucking dinner together! I have a few stories to tell!"

"You're not telling him anything!"

He sniffed, his jaw set. "How can you marry that guy? You don't know him!"

"I know him!"

"How could you possibly?! It's barely been two months since-"

"Since what?! Since you humiliated me?! Since I basically threw myself at you and you turned me down? Again?"

Lucian's jaw clutched. "I know I'm an asshole, but that doesn't mean you should get engaged to some guy you barely know!"

"You arrogant bastard!" She huffed, her eyes narrowing. "You think I made a hasty decision because of _you_?! _You_ are not the driving force behind everything I do, Lucian Nox!"

"Then why would you marry him?!"

"Because I love him!" The words had barely escaped her mouth or she'd cursed them for ever passing her lips. It felt _so_ wrong to utter that lie to him, so cruel…

And that look on his beautiful face…

 _Take it back,_ a soft voice whispered. _Tell him Alexander's just a job. Tell him the truth._

But she couldn't. She was so angry, so _hurt_. He'd made her feel for him, miss him, while all the while, he'd been out and about what that blonde supermodel.

No.

If she'd hurt him, good.

He deserved it.

"You actually _love_ that ridiculous boy?" he growled after a long moment, his voice rough.

"Stop calling him names!"

"That's not an answer! You _love_ him?!"

She gave him a tight nod, trying to keep her heart under control. "Yes, I just told you! I love him very much!"

His dark eyes darkened even more, anger seeping out of them. "Damn it, Adrianna, why are you marrying this man if you don't love him?!"

"Are you deaf on top of stupid?!" she snapped. "I just said I love him! Twice!"

"No, you said you love him _very much_!"

"So?!"

"So, when you love someone, you simply say you love them! There's no need for any adjectives! When you say you love someone _very much_ , you're saying it to convince someone of something that isn't true…or convince yourself!"

She huffed, shaking her head. "You have some nerve, you arrogant prick! You stroll into my life after two months and have the audacity to say these things to me?! When I say I love him, I love him! And he loves me! You know how I know that? Because when I'm with him, I don't feel like crap! He never yells at me, he never purposely hurts my feelings…and when I offered myself to him, _he_ sure as hell didn't send me away!"

She didn't know why she'd said that last part, but if she had to guess, she'd blame her anger. How dare he stand there, looking so damned mouth-watering, making her feel guilty for being with another man, even a man she was only pretending to be with?! Besides, it's not like _he'd_ been a monk! He and that blonde weren't just holding hands! And she would've pointed that out too...if she hadn't been too busy trying to breathe again. Lucian's eyes were now darker than she'd ever seen them, that impressive chest pushing against his shirt, his muscles rippling underneath the fabric. She knew that look. He was furious…

Just when she felt her knees wobble, Lucian gnarled in a dangerous voice, "You _gave yourself_ to that fucker?"

"He's not a fuck-"

"Answer me!"

She could feel her cheeks flush, only partly out of anger, as she took a step forward, glaring at him. "Did you think I would pine over you for the rest of my life? Never looking at another man?"

 _You probably will._

 _Shut up!_

"No," he barked. "But I at least expected you to use your common sense in picking a partner! Do you know about his reputation?! How could you let a man like _him_ take your virginity-"

"Because the man I wanted it to take, kicked me out of his apartment, half naked!"

"So you let that fucker-"

"Stop calling Alexander a fucker, you son of a-"

The door flew open again, a wide-eyes woman entering, her eyes shifting back and forth between them.

Adrianna used Lucian's temporary distraction to move past him and out of that bathroom, hoping some distance would make her catch her breath…but it didn't. Her inside were screaming, tears pushing against her eyes as she realized this was the most alive she'd felt in two months. Why did it have to be that way? Why did _he_ have to be the one person she…needed.

 _No!_

 _Screw that!_

 _You don't need him!_

 _He's a lying, arrogant piece of-_

A big, rough hand grabbed her bare arm and before the idea to struggle even crossed her mind, he'd dragged her through a pair of French doors, onto a balcony.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" she snarled, spinning around as he closed the glass doors, trapping her on the stone structure. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Am _I_ out of my mind?!" he growled, towering over her with that huge body of his. "I'm not the one spreading my legs for every womanizing playboy who comes alon-"

Her hand shot out before she could stop herself, slamming right into his cheek. Lucian had been as surprised by her action as she'd been, touching the red mark on his cheek as those eyes pierced hers with an intensity she recognized all too well, an intensity that made her mouth go dry. The last time he'd looked at her like that, she'd almost lost her virginity for real...

"You have no right!" she broke the silence, her words trembling. "You have no right to judge me! Or Alexander! In fact, _you_ calling _him_ a playboy is a little hypocritical, don't you think?!"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you're not exactly alone tonight either, are you?"

He smiled, but it wasn't the warm smile she still dreamt about. No, this was cocky, almost cruel, as if he enjoyed tormenting her with this other woman.

"You noticed her, huh?" he rumbled, his voice so low it vibrated through her entire body.

She sniffed, raising her chin defensively. "She was hard to miss, sitting across from me and all! And yet, you don't see me spewing my opinion about her, do you?!"

He growled, the silver light of the moon flashing in his irises. "You have an opinion?"

"Off course I do, but like I said, you won't hear me voicing it! _I_ have more restraint than that! Unlike you!"

"Unlike me?!" he barked, taking another step closer to her. "You think I have no restraint?! I _have_ restraint, Adrianna! You have no idea how much fucking restraint I have; how much I _need_ to have, every single minute of every single day!"

He was breathing so heavily now that she could see the buttons of his shirt straining dangerously. God, she hated so much that she wanted to reach out and touch that heaving chest, make him calm down, take away the anger and pain she saw in those tormented eyes. She shouldn't want that. Not anymore. But the longer she stood this close to him, the harder it became to think straight, to remember the reasons for her anger. He was just too close…. So close she could smell him now. There was the scent of scotch, a lot of it, but underneath the alcohol, she could smell that male, alpha-smell, touching her in places she'd never been touched before…and she couldn't stop her mind from flashing back to her dream, to the part of it where they'd stood on a balcony at lot like this one…only in the dream, they'd been happy, in love, expecting their second child together.

A ridiculous dream that would never come true.

She didn't _want it_ to come true!

She hated that bastard!

She hated-

"Are you pregnant?!"

She felt her jaw slacken, her mind actually going blank at the accusation. Did he really just say that?! Why would he think-

When she noticed his eyes had dropped to her stomach, she realized that at some point when she'd been remembering the dream, she'd folded her hands over her belly.

"Is that why you're marrying this guy?" he continued unapologetic. "Did that fucker knock you-"

"Shut up!" she yelled, dropping her hands again and immediately balling them into tight fists. "God, just stop talking, you dick! I'm not pregnant!"

She could tell he didn't believe her, his eyes still blazing on hers.

"Jesus Christ, I'm not pregnant! First of all, I'm The Crescător, remember? There's a whole ritual I have to do before I can have kids-"

"Accidents happen!"

"Not when you're The Crescător'

He sniffed, opening his mouth as if to say something…but whatever it was, he changed his mind about it, snapping his jaw shut again.

"And secondly," she hissed. "I'm not marrying Alexander because I _have_ to! I'm marrying him because I _want_ to!"

"No, you don't!" he simply gnarled.

She huffed, running a hand through her hair. "What do you even care?"

"I don't want you to be miserable!"

She let out something between a snort and a laugh at that. He didn't want her to be miserable?! He was the goddamned reason she was miserable, all the time! Not Alex! Him!

Fuming, she shoved against his chest again and then slipped from between him and the balustrade, pushing the French doors open and storming back inside.

But she could feel him behind her; the hairs on her neck standing up, heat flooding her body. She tried to shake him, but he matched her pace, his loud footsteps echoing in her ears.

When she reached the stairs, she almost tripped going down them, but she somehow made it to the ground floor in one piece…only to be yanked to the side again; into the shadows of the grand staircase.

"Stop manhandling me!" she hissed, pulling her arm free.

He raised his palms, but his eyes were anything but surrendering.

"Why can't you just leave me alone, Lucian?!"

"Because you're going to regret this decision!"

"The only thing I regret is ever meeting you!" she yelled, her anger boiling over. "You have no right to stand here, after two months of no contact whatsoever and tell me what to do with my life! You have no right to tell me not to get married or school me on love! _You_ pushed _me_ away! _You_ rejected _me_!"

"I know that," he snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "But-"

"No, no _buts_! My life has nothing to do with yours anymore!"

"So I should just let you ruin it?!"

"Yes!" She spit out, blinking wildly before correcting, "I mean, _no_! I'm not ruining anything! I _love_ him!"

His eyes turned even darker, bursting with rage, the tension in the air growing thicker…and then, something changed. The anger that had overpowered her before was now slowly fading, something else-something warm and thick- making it harder and harder to think. She didn't know what had made it happen. She didn't know what had made the change, but looking up at his chiseled face…she felt herself get wet. It came from inside. She could feel the muscles flowing, drenching her panties. She wanted to hate him, not… _want_ him. And the thing that annoyed her the most was the fact that Lucian looked at her like he knew, somehow. He knew the effect he was having on her, knew the ache that squeezed her heart so tight she could barely breath…

Swallowing hard, she pressed herself closer to the wall, away from him, a shiver running through her blood. He stood frozen for a long second, something in his eyes fighting, as if he was trying to stop himself from doing something…but it was a fight he lost.

With a soft growl, he took a step closer to her already trembling body; rumbling in a low, seductive voice, "You're lying, Cara."

"I'm not."

His dark eyes slipped down her body, touching her _everywhere_. She tried not to moan, tried to stop herself from trembling…but she could feel her knees weaken, her mouth go dry, her skin tingle.

"You can't pretend with me, Cara. I'm not that idiot _._ I know you. I know your body."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she should be fighting with him, tell him to fuck off, that he didn't know her _or_ her body…but she could no longer speak. Her mind was a jumble; a mess of fantasies and random thoughts she shouldn't be having…and then, his fingers wrapped around her wrist, his touch making her eyes slip closed.

"Your heart races when you lie," he rumbled, his deep voice sending a shiver up her spine. "And right now, your pulse is beating madly against my fingers."

She wanted to tell him that had nothing to do with lying, but with him pissing her off…but then, she felt his fingers slip up her arm, over her shoulder and she couldn't remember how to form words.

"And you blush when you lie," he groaned, his fingertips caressing her neck. "Right here."

 _Make him stop._

 _Tell him to stop._

 _Tell him to-_

Her thoughts evaporated into nothing when his big, warm hand cupped her cheek..and his thumb brushed her lips. Rubbing her thighs together, she could no longer keep her eyes closed. She _had_ to see him…and when she did, the fire between her legs only grew.

His jaw was set, his brows pulled together in an angry scowl and there was something in his eyes that she'd never seen before. For the first time, she suspected, she got a glimpse of the monster he was so ashamed off…but she wasn't afraid. Not even a little bit. She knew she should be…but she just _wasn't_.

"You wet your lips, too," he snarled, focused on the way his thumb stroked her bottom lip. "When you're not telling the truth."

Heat surged through her, her skin turning pink, flushing with even more blood.

"You're an open book to me, Cara," he whispered. "You can't hide from me. You can't lie."

"Unlike you." The words were out of her mouth before she'd decided to speak them…but they reminded her of why she should hate his touch…not crave it.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She sniffed, horrified when she felt tears pushing against her eyes. She couldn't cry. Not in front of him. Never in front of him. He couldn't see the damage he'd done.

"Just forget it, Lucian," she said, gritting her teeth as she dropped her glistening eyes to the floor. "Go back inside, go back to your date and leave me alone."

He didn't move…and there was no way she could get away from him. He was too close, trapping her against the wall.

"Adrianna," he growled, the sudden softness in his voice making her heart pinch. "Tell me what you meant."

"Forget it. Just go."

He didn't listen. Instead, one of his fingers found their way underneath her chin, softly tilting her head up, forcing her eyes back to his.

"Tell me," he ordered.

She shot him the meanest glare she could muster up, raising her chin defiantly. "Are you really going to stand here and pretend like you haven't been lying to me?"

He had the audacity to frown, to look confused…and that made the angry fire in Adrianna's blood blaze even brighter.

"You know, I'm a big girl, mister Nox," she snarled. "I've put men behind bars that are bigger and scarier than you; I've grown up around vampires, I've been shot-"

His jaw set even harder as his eyes dropped to her belly, to the spot where he knew the scar was.

"-so, there's really no reason for you to treat me like I'm some fragile little girl who can't handle the truth!"

"The truth?"

"Oh, come on, Lucian! That blonde looks a lot _purer_ than I do! And you clearly don't have any problem with that purity now that the pure woman in question is a blonde bombshell!"

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes.

"You could've just told me, you know! You could've said 'Adrianna, I don't want to be with you' and I would've been just fine! You didn't have to spin this whole fantasy about not being good enough for me! You could've-"

He cut her off with a growl, making her skin sizzle. What man growled like that? Actually growled? And why the hell did it hit every spot?

Putting his face closer to hers, he narrowed his eyes, barking, "Do you really believe that I rejected you just for the hell of it?"

"Seeing is believing! That woman-"

"She's my niece!"

Her heart skipped a beat. "What?"

"She's my goddamned niece!"

Adrianna sniffed, narrowing her eyes even more. "Oh, please! How stupid do you think I am?! She's my age!"

"My brother is older than me!"

"Yeah, right!"

"It's true!"

"Than why didn't you introduce her as your niece?"

"Because I wanted you to feel how I felt when I saw you with that guy!" he yelled. "I wanted you to-"

"-hurt?"

His eyes widened a little, his features softening…and God, she'd missed that side of him. The sweet, soft side he'd shown her on rare occasion. The side he never showed to anyone else, as far as she could tell.

"Well, you _didn't_ hurt me, Nox," she lied, feeling a tear slip down her cheek. "I'm happy now. I found a man I want to spend the rest of my life with. A man I love."

Suddenly, his face turned hard again and then, before she could prepare herself, he placed his palms on the wall next to either side of her head, boxing her in. She had nowhere to run...and even if she had, she wasn't sure she could've run at that point. Her legs felt like rubber. She hated him so damned much, had never been this angry and yet her every instinct was begging her to kiss him. He was just too tempting, his mere presence turning her mind into nothing. She could practically feel his palms cupping her ass, the fabric of his pants rubbing against the insides of her thighs, his teeth softly biting her neck and-

"Don't go back to him."

Her thought halted abruptly at his whispered plea, her mind unable to process what he was asking. Surely, he couldn't actually be asking her to-

"Stay," he rumbled, his hungry eyes dropping to her lips. "With me."

 _What?_

She was speechless. She was lost. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead simply stared at him. If he had any idea how many times she'd dreamt of him saying those words to her, how much she wished he meant it…

"You're only saying this because you're drunk."

"No," he growled. "I'm saying this because I _can't stand_ his hands on you, or his eyes, or his lips… and the idea of you in his bed makes me sick. _Physically_ sick. I can't bear it."

 _Oh, God…_

"Don't say things like that, Lucian."

"Why not?" he rumbled.

"Because you don't mean it."

"Yes, I do," he snarled, his hand cupping her cheek again. "I don't want him to touch you or taste you or _feel_ you. I don't even want him in the same goddamned room as you!"

She felt herself get even wetter, leaning her head back against the wall, trying to remember how to think.

"Stay, Adrianna," he demanded. "Stay with me."

"And how long before you change your mind again?" she asked, scared to believe he meant what he was saying, that he would see it through. She couldn't hope for that. She couldn't hope and be crushed. Not again. Not by him. "Do you think we will make it to your car before you remember this is not what you want? Or will we actually make it to your bed before you throw me out again?"

He stood frozen, his jaw locked, his dark eyes switching back and forth between hers…but he didn't say a word. He didn't defend himself, didn't deny that any of that could happen…because he knew it could. It had before. Nothing had changed.

"You're just arrogant," she whispered, pain stabbing her chest. "You see me with someone else and your ego can't stand it. It doesn't really have anything to do with me."

"It has _everything_ to do with you," he gnarled. "Cara, I-"

"Lucian?"

Adrianna froze as the woman's voice drifted down from the staircase above, hurried footsteps making their way down.

But Lucian didn't move.

And those eyes, _God_ those eyes, still pierced hers with an intensity that shook her to her core. She could see there was so much more he wanted to say, so many emotions swirling in those depths…

"Lucian, where the hell are-" Amory trailed off when she rounded the corner and saw them. And what a sight it must've been. Lucian was still pressed against her, his chest keeping her trapped against the wall; his hand was still on her flushed cheek and Adrianna could feel her body trembling so much it had to be visible. But the woman didn't get angry. Instead, she _smiled_. It was only then that she actually _believed_ Amory was his niece. If they'd been lovers, this would've gone a completely different way.

"Sorry," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "But I need Lucian back for a moment."

"Not now," he growled, making her toes curl.

"I hate to do this, but it's sort of time-sensitive," Amory persisted. "I found that thing you wanted me to find, but it's not here. I found someone who knows where it is though, but it won't be there for much longer, so it's kind of a _now or never_ -thing."

"Never, then," Lucian snarled, keeping his gaze locked on Adrianna, opening his beautiful mouth to say more…but she didn't want to hear it. Because she knew him and she knew that look in his eyes. He was going to tell her things she could never unhear, things that would run through her mind like a bittersweet song after he'd inevitably send her away. She couldn't handle that.

Not again.

"Actually, we're done."

Lucian snapped his lips shut, scowling, but she'd made up her mind. This would lead nowhere. Nowhere but pain. When he sobered up, he would regret this and they would be right back where they started. _She_ would be right back where she started. Crying, in her bed, hating herself for missing him.

"You should go," she said in the strongest voice she could muster up. "And so should I. My fiancée is waiting for me."

His nose wrinkled in anger, but before he could say another word, Adrianna forced her trembling hands against his chest, somehow finding enough strength to push him back. Ignoring how unnatural it felt, she slipped from between him and the wall, heading for the large entrance, needing to get out of there.

But then, his fingers wrapped around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

She glanced over her shoulder, intended to curse at him. But the expression on his face stopped her. He looked so…tortured. So sad.

 _So, stay with him. Just stay and-_

"Adrianna?"

At the sound of Alexander's voice, she could feel Lucian's grip tighten…before he finally let go. She could tell by his face that he wasn't happy about it though, but he still released her, focusing his angry eyes on the man coming down the grand staircase.

"There you are," he smiled when he spotted her. "Where did you run off-" He trailed off when he noticed Amory and Lucian as well. "Is everything alright here?"

Adrianna nodded, even though she felt like falling apart. No. Not everything was alright. Everything was fucked up. One moment with him and every single flicker of progress she'd made over the last few months had evaporated into nothing. If anything, she was even more confused. Why hadn't she just left? She should've made up some excuse the second she'd seen him…but she'd missed him. God help her, she'd missed him so much that even the prospect of certain pain hadn't convinced her to get the hell out of there.

"We were just saying goodbye to miss Salvatore," Amory said in a lighthearted voice. "I'm afraid we have to get going."

"Already?" Alexander asked, his eyes still a little suspicious.

"No, we're staying," Lucian's deep voice growled behind her, making goosebumps crawl up her skin. There were so many promises simmering in those words, so many _tantalizing_ promises…

Feeling his eyes burn on her the back of her head, Adrianna walked over to Alexander, needing distance before she did something stupid like turn around.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Alexander asked, tucking a curl behind her ear.

She nodded, ignoring the soft growl coming from behind her. "I'm fine."

He cocked a skeptical eyebrow, but before Adrianna could reassure him more, her focus was drawn to the soft whispers behind her back.

"-to go now or you'll lose him."

"I don't care," his deep voice gnarled.

"Yes, you do," Amory whispered. "You're not thinking clearly-"

"Are you coming back to the table?" Alexander asked, drowning out Amory. "We're not even through the first course."

"Yes," she smiled. "Off course."

"-going to let this chance slip away?" Amory whispered a little louder, getting annoyed. "After dragging me here? The least you can do is go see Rellix and-"

"Are you sure you two have to go?" Alexander asked over her shoulder. "They don't do refunds."

"Yes," Amory said kindly again. "I'm sure. It was nice to meet you, though. Both of you."

Adrianna wanted to cast her a polite smile, but the second she spotted Lucian and that angry look in his eyes, her lips couldn't curl. Why was _he_ so angry? She was the one who should be pissed off. And, God, why did he have to look so damned mouthwatering when he was angry? As if this wasn't hard enough!

"It was nice to meet you, too," Alexander said politely when Amory grabbed Lucian's arm, maneuvering him to the exit. She watched them walk away, slipping back into the night…and she hated that her heart shattered in her chest. She should be happy he was gone. She'd wanted him to leave…

"You don't look so good, Adrianna," Alexander said as she watched the exit, silently hoping he'd walk back in. "I don't think you're okay."

 _I'm not._

 _I'm not okay._

"We should go back and you should eat something. You look pale and-"

"Wait, Rellix?" Adrianna whispered, only then processing what she'd overheard Amory say. "Did she say _Rellix_?"

A cold hand gripped her heart, chilling her to the bone. She couldn't have been talking about _the_ Rellix, right?

 _I don't think Rellix is a popular name._

"What?" Alexander asked, cocking an eyebrow. "What is a Rellix? Adrianna, you're not making any sense."

She sniffed, rubbing her forehead.

 _That idiot is getting involved with Rellix?!_

"Adrianna?"

Cursing inwardly at what she was about to do, she focused back on Alexander, sighing, "I'm sorry. You were right, I'm not feeling so well. Would you mind if I went home?"

He huffed, cocking an eyebrow. "Am I missing something, here? Why is everyone leaving?"

"I'm sorry, I've been feeling terrible all day. I think I might've caught something. I thought I could make it through the night, but-"

"You know him, don't you?"

Adrianna sucked in a breath, her stomach clenching. "What?"

"You know Nox."

She stood frozen, not sure what to say.

"I'm not an idiot, Salvatore," he continued, smiling kindly. "I suspected it before, but now, it's pretty obvious. He left and you want to go after him."

"No, it's not like that," she rushed. "I don't _want_ to go after him, but I _have_ to-"

"Because you love him."

She let out a short laugh, feeling her stomach drop. "I don't _love_ Lucian. Why would you even think that?"

"Well, first of all, you call him Lucian-"

"That doesn't mean-"

"And secondly, there's been a spark in your eyes since the moment you saw him, a sense of excitement I've never seen before."

"That's ridiculous," she bit out, her mind racing as it tried to shut out Alexander's preposterous accusation. "We worked together on a case. That's why I couldn't tell you. There's a confidentiality-issue and-"

"-and you love him."

"Stop it," she hissed. "I don't love Lucian Nox. He and I have nothing."

"You have a past."

"Only a professional one."

"Bullshit."

"Alex, I-"

"He was jealous," he cut her off, cocking a meaningful eyebrow. "I thought that guy hated me for no reason, but it's obvious now. He hated me because he thinks we're actually engaged."

"He was just drunk. He doesn't really have any feelings for me."

Alexander's lips twitched. "For a detective, you don't see much."

She frowned, but before she could protest, he said, "Go. Go after him."

"It's _really_ not like that. He's meeting someone dangerous-"

"And you couldn't live with yourself if anything happened to him, could you?"

"That doesn't prove anything! I'm a cop! It's my job to stop bad things from happening!"

He grinned. "Just go, Adrianna. I'll make up some excuse."

"Alexander, I swear-"

"Yeah, yeah, you don't love him. Sure. Just go."

She wanted to stay and argue, convince him he was wrong…if only to convince herself. But she couldn't. There was no time.

"Take a bodyguard with you, though," he added on an afterthought. "To be safe."

"No," she snapped, annoyed now. "I can handle this myself."

"Adrianna-"

"I'll call you in the morning," she cut him off, ending the discussion.

He nodded, that strange mischievous look in his eyes. That bastard really thought he'd hit the nail on the head.

Fuming, she raced out the door and into the night, heading for the one place Rellix put up shop when he was in town. She had to hurry, though. That warlock never stayed in one place for long…but he always left behind a trail of destruction. She had to find Lucian before he did anything irrevocable.

 _Because you love him._

Adrianna shook her head, trying to get rid of Alexander's voice. She had to focus…but how dare he claim to know her mind, her heart, better than _she_ did? He didn't know anything about her! He had no right to just spew out crazy stuff like that! If he'd bothered to do his research before making up wild theories, he would know she _hated_ Lucian more than she _loved_ him! He would know that Lucian Nox had done nothing but mess up her life, her plans! How could she possibly love someone like that?! How could she possibly love someone stupid enough to seek out Rellix?!

"Moron," she mumbled, turning the corner and finally spotting the red neon-light she'd been looking for.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed the street and carefully slipped down the stairs leading to Rellix' underground bar. The warlock ran this place, mostly from a distance, and on the rare times he was actually there, there was only one way to get to him.

Cracking her knuckles, Adrianna headed straight for the meanest looking bouncer, preparing for what was about to come.

* * *

Hades and Aphrodite made their way through the dark club, following the man Aphrodite had found back at the charity event. Apparently, Rellix had decided not to attend and had sent one of his henchmen instead. Aphrodite had picked up on his power, worked her charm and here they were, about to meet the man himself. He should be focused, preparing…and instead, all he thought about was _her_. The way she'd trembled underneath his hands; the warmth from her cheeks seeping into his pores; the scent of her hair fogging his mind.

God, what had he been thinking? He shouldn't have said those things to her; he should've walked away the second she'd shown up…but seeing her with _him_ had awoken that primal part again, that part that didn't just need her, but _demanded_ her; the part that ruled with fire in his blood and reminded him that she was _his_ and his alone.

 _Not anymore_ , the monster gnarled. _She's been tasted. By_ him _._

"Whatever it is that you're thinking about right now," Aphrodite whispered. "Stop. You need to be _here_. From everything I've gathered about Rellix, this isn't a man to be trifled with. Pay attention."

"I'm here," Hades gnarled. "Don't worry about it."

"Well, I _am_ worried. I realize tonight didn't exactly go as planned, but after you get what you want from Rellix, you can still go to her and finish whatever it was that I interrupted earlier."

"If I get what I want, I'm not going back," he growled, cursing the words as they slipped from his lips. "If he has the Key to the Gomorrah Codex, I'm translating that damned book tonight and using whatever's in there to protect her from my brothers. She'll be safe and-"

"- Zeus and Poseidon will sense what you've done, pull you from this world and punish you."

"Don't look so sad, Aphrodite. Punishment is inevitable. I knew that going in."

They were lead into a dark office before anything else could be said, their escort signaling for them to stand in the middle of it before he walked over to the desk, whispering something at the man sitting in the shadows. Hades tried to see him, but the darkness seemed to cling to him like a cloak.

Their escort accepted something and then walked out of the office, leaving them there.

For a long moment, Hades and Aphrodite just stood there, waiting and just when Hades was about to lose his patience, a figure stood up, the shadows around him disappearing.

"Rellix?" Aphrodite asked, frowning.

He knew why she sounded so surprised. He looked nothing like the powerful warlock he'd expected to find either. The man who had appeared before them didn't look a day over twenty, except maybe his hair. It was as white as snow, matching his pale skill. That, combined with his silver eyes, made it pretty obvious this was no ordinary human, but he'd still expected someone more threatening; someone who oozed danger and black magic.

"I hear you've been looking for me," he said, straightening his grey suit.

" _You're_ Rellix?" Hades asked, still skeptical.

"I am. And you are?"

"Lucian Nox."

"Amory Nox."

"Husband and wife?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"No,we're not married. Just related."

"Good."

Hades frowned. "Why is that good?"

"Because since you've entered, my mind's been flooded with images of a woman that is _not_ the woman standing next to you and I would've hated to cause a rift in a marriage."

"Images?"

The warlock's lips twitched. "I have many powers, mister Nox, but the most unique one is my ability to see desires. People's deepest, darkest wants. And you only have _one_ desire, which is rare."

 _Adrianna._

"Stay out of my head," Hades snarled, earning a nudge in his side from Aphrodite. He didn't care about politeness, though. Rellix had no business with Adrianna. He didn't want this guy knowing anything about her.

"Fiery type, huh?" the warlock said, tilting his head a little, watching him close.

"Look, I didn't come here to chit-chat," Hades gnarled. "I heard you're the guy to see when you need something done that no one else can do."

"Did you now?" he smiled. "Let me guess, you need this black-haired beauty that fills your mind to fall madly in love with you?"

"No," he hissed. "I need you to find the Key that can translate The Gomorrah Codex."

Rellix frowned, a spark igniting in his silver eyes. "Really? It's not what you desire most-"

"My desires don't matter."

The warlock let out a short laugh.

"Is something amusing you?"

"No," he said. "It's just been a long time since I've heard anyone say that."

"Can you help or not?" Hades asked, impatient.

The warlock took a beat, still watching him and then said, "Yes. For a price."

Hope welled up in his chest. "What do you want in exchange?"

"Let's just say you'd owe me a favor."

The business man in him warned him not to make a deal like that…but the truth was, he would give him anything. Whatever that favor would be in the future, if it meant she would live, he'd do it.

"Deal."

Aphrodite nudged him again, but Hades ignored her like before. She had no say in this. This was _his_ call.

"Alright then, mister Nox. I will ask around for your key and in exchanged, you owe me one. Yes?"

"Yes."

The warlock reached out his hand and the second Hades shook it, he felt a strange burst of electricity shoot up his arm.

"What was-" he started to ask, but before Hades could finish his question, the door flung open and in walked two giant men, dragging between then-

 _Adrianna?_

Hades started to move forward to get her away from those men, but then she shot him an angry look, warning him to back off. She was clearly still pissed. He couldn't blame her. She'd started a new life, without him and he'd tried to ruin that. She was engaged to be married, for god's sake. He should've let her be, let her built a future with a man who could actually take care of her.

 _Take care of her?_ his monster snarled. _She's been going out at night with that Vasquez-fuck again! Chasing after a murderer who's made his intend to hurt her clear! How is_ that _protecting her?_

"Sorry to bother you, sir," one of the men, who still had a tight grip on Adrianna, boomed. "But this little bitch here just started attacking us out of nowhere. We thought you might want to deal with her."

"Did you?" Rellix said, watching Adrianna with a smile on his lips. "Hello, black-haired beauty."

Hades cursed inwardly, realizing that fuck recognized Adrianna from whatever he'd seen in his head. If he'd known beforehand that this bastard had that power, he would've taken precautionary measures…but he hadn't. He'd rushed into this to keep her safe and he might've just done the opposite. Rellix was watching her with _way_ too much interest in his eyes.

"What do you want us to do with her, sir?"

Rellix' silver eyes moved to the man who'd spoken, his smile dropping. "We're not going to do anything with her. You've already done enough."

The man shot him a confused look.

"The woman clearly attacked you because she knew that was the only way to get to me. She's human. You don't get into my club when you're human. Not unless you have an insider guiding you like these two here," he said nodding at him and Aphrodite. "Or, unless you do something to break the rules of this place. Like, say, attack my bouncers."

The man swallowed hard, the realization he'd fucked up hitting him.

"You can go now," Rellix said, waving a dismissive hand at the men.

"And the woman?"

"Leave her." Rellix smiled again, watching Adrianna as he sang, "Her desire isn't to kill me." His gaze flickered to Hades again for a second, amusement flashing in his irises…and Hades couldn't help but be envious of the warlock. He would give anything to look into Adrianna's mind, even just catch a glimpse of it. Maybe then, he would understand why she was marrying that Ryder-guy…or why she'd followed him here.

"Adrianna," Hades growled under his breath. "Get out of here."

"Adrianna," Rellix chanted, leaning back against his glass desk. "What a pretty name."

Hades shot the warlock a deadly look, his entire body tensing. But that only seemed to amuse Rellix even more…

"Tell me, Adrianna," the warlock continued. "What can I help you with? If you want what you desire most, I have to tell you, you don't need my help. It's ripe for the taking."

"Stay the hell out of my head, Rellix."

The warlock straightened and Hades followed his lead. She knew what he could do?

"And the surprises keep coming," the warlock laughed. "And here I was, thinking this would be another boring deal."

Before Adrianna could answer, Rellix was suddenly standing right in front of her, holding her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

Hades jerked forward, but Aphrodite grabbed his arm, shaking her head warningly. Something told him this warlock wasn't all he seemed and Aphrodite knew that.

"You're clearly human," Rellix said, a smile still on his lips even though his eyes had hardened significantly. "So how do you know me? How do you know what I can do?"

Adrianna smiled coldly. "It must be annoying to be able to see _only_ desires. What good does that really do, huh?"

The warlock sniffed, pulling his fingers back from her chin so roughly her head snapped to the side. There was no pain in her eyes, though.

Only anger.

Lots of it.

"You know what," Rellix said. "I'm actually not that interested in how you know, so if you're not here to get me my second deal of the night, you can go."

Adrianna's beautiful eyes widened a little before they shifted to Hades. "You made the deal already?"

"Adrianna," Hades whispered, warningly. "This is none of your business."

"And it shouldn't be any of yours, either," she snapped, making something inside him heat. She was acting worried about him again and _God_ , he'd missed that. He'd missed that softness in her eyes, that warmth. He'd missed _her_.

"I know what I'm doing," he said, trying to comfort her.

It didn't work.

She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and he couldn't stop his eyes from dropping to that magnificent chest. God, he wanted her pressed against him again, feel her, smell her-

"You _don't_ know what you're doing," she said, interrupting his fantasies. "Or _who_ you're doing it with. Rellix is a scam artist."

"Careful, little girl," the warlock hissed, dropping his facade. "I quite like you, but you would be wise to mind your manners before I mind them for you."

"Don't threaten her," Hades snarled, feeling his blood simmer underneath his skin. "Ever."

"Or what?" Rellix laughed. "You're not in any position to challenge me, mister Nox. And neither are you, miss. You have some nerve, calling me a scam artist. We've just met."

Adrianna sniffed, one corner of her lips curling up. "Oh, this isn't the first time we met, Rellix."

The warlock frowned before running his eyes down her body. Hades felt his jaw set, his nose crinkling. If that fuck didn't get his eyes away from her, he was going to remove them!

As if hearing his thoughts, Rellix briefly glanced his way with a cocky grin on his lips before addressing Adrianna again, saying, "I would've remembered meeting you, dear. Believe me."

"Well, I was younger. Three, to be exact."

Rellix' frown deepened. "Three?"

Adrianna nodded, a confident smile on her painted lips. "Yes, my mom and dad were visiting my uncle in New Orleans and they bumped into you."

"Your mom and dad?"

Hades could hear the hint of worry in the warlock's voice. He knew she was going somewhere with this and he didn't like it.

"Yes, my mom and dad. Well, I know them as _mom_ and _dad_. You know them as Damon and Elena Salvatore."

The warlock froze, his expression turning horrified. " _You're_ Adrianna Salvatore?"

Hades tensed, keeping a close eye on the warlock, waiting for his next move. If he went for Adrianna, he would make damned sure he got to him first, before he could harm a curl on that beautiful head of hers. He was ready for anything…

…except maybe for what actually happened.

And Adrianna seemed just as surprised as him when the warlock dropped down on one knee, his head bent, his eyes on the floor.

That beautiful blush crawled back into her cheeks as she exchanged a surprised look with Hades. She was embarrassed…and fuck, it was cute.

"Okay," she mumbled. "Get up. You don't have to kneel."

The warlock stayed down, rambling, "I'm so sorry, your highness."

"Don't call me-"

"I didn't know who you were. Please, spare me. I swear, I didn't mean you any harm-"

"Just get up," she said louder, that blush dipping down to her neckline, disappearing in that mouthwatering dress of hers. Fuck.

The warlock listened this time, raising, his eyes still low.

"I thought my parents and brothers made it clear that you were to stop making these sleazy deals," she hissed. "You can have your _supernaturals only_ -clubs, but this side-business of yours was forbidden."

"I know, I'm sorry," he rushed. "I strayed, but it won't happen again. Please, spare me."

"I'm not going to kill you," she said, offended.

"Thank you, your highn-"

"Don't call me that. I'm not royalty."

Rellix frowned, but didn't comment. Off course she was royalty. Or at least the closest thing the supernatural world _had_ to royalty. Her entire family was. After defeating Niklaus; Damon, Elena and the remaining Mikaelsons had set up ground rules for those who walk in the darkness, enforcing them strictly. And as soon as Killian and Asher had been old enough, they'd joined the family business, not only as enforcers, but hunters, finding those who broke the rules and bringing them to justice. Everyone knew them, respected them…and knew not to mess with them.

So, threatening their daughter, their sister, wasn't the best idea. And judging from the way Rellix was sweating, he was well aware of that.

"Okay," Adrianna said. "Here's what you're going to do-"

"Anything."

Her lips twitched. "I could go straight to my family and tell them what you've done-"

The warlock's eyes widened in horror.

"Or, you could promise me this was the last time and as a show off good faith, undo the deal you made with mister Nox. "

"No."

Adrianna's eyes flew to Hades at his protest, surprise and anger written on her face. "What?"

"I need this deal, Adrianna. He's the only one who can get what I need."

"Lucian," she whispered, softly shaking her head. "Trust me, nothing is worth making a deal with Rellix."

 _Your life is._

"Look, I didn't ask for your help," he snapped, his heart pinching.

Her jaw set, her eyes turning furious. "No, you're right! You never ask for help! But believe me, if you're making deals with Rellix, you sure as hell need it! I mean, what is so important that you would risk coming here?"

 _You are._

"Again, this is none of your business, Salvatore! Leave!"

"I can't do that!" she snapped, turning her focus back on Rellix when she hissed, "What did he ask for?"

"Don't tell-"

"The Key to The Gomorrah Codex," the warlock said without hesitation, making Hades curse.

"Key?" Adrianna frowned. "It's encrypted?"

Hades didn't answer. He just glared at her, hissing, "I don't need your help, Salvatore. I can handle this."

"Really? You can handle it? So you _know_ you're never getting that key from Rellix, right? You're aware of that?"

A muscle in his jaw ticked. "We made a deal. I'm getting that Key."

"No, you're not! Rellix always words his deals in such a way it's only beneficial to him! That's why my parents shut him down years ago…or tried to."

Hades frowned, shooting the warlock a suspicious glare. "No, we have a deal-"

"Let me guess; he said he would _look around_ for the Key? Or that he would _do his best_? Or something vague like that?"

"He said he would _ask around_ for it," Aphrodite said, a worried look in her eyes.

"That's what I thought," she sighed. "He's going to make _one_ call so his part of the deal is done, so he _asked around_ , and then, he'll come to collect! What did you promise in return?"

"A favor," Aphrodite mumbled.

"A favor?" Adrianna shrieked, shaking her head. "Seriously? Do you have any idea how much danger you've put yourself in? Please, tell me you didn't shake his hand!"

Hades frowned, but before he could ask why that mattered, she was walking over to him in a determined stride. Without missing a beat, she grabbed his hand, making the blood underneath her touch heat.

"Damn it."

At first, Hades wasn't sure why she'd cursed…but when he followed her eyes down, he saw what had pissed her off. There, on his wrist, was now a red mark; a rune, burned into his skin. That had been what he'd felt when they'd shook hands. The fucker had branded him.

"He marked you," Adrianna explained, rubbing her forehead. "Which means you're bound to the deal you made. He can literally ask _anything_ and you'll have no choice but to do it. He can ask you to kill someone, to transfer all your money to him, to-"

"I need that Key!"

"I understand that, but Rellix can't help you!" When she saw he still wasn't convinced, Adrianna sighed and snarled at the warlock. "Do you know where the Key is?"

"No," he answered immediately, still terrified.

"Do you have any idea where to start looking?"

"No."

"Any contacts you can think of that might help?"

"No."

"Did you even _hear_ of The Gomorrah Codex before tonight?"

The warlock met Hades' furious eyes for a second before whispering, "No."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he fumed, seeing red. "You fucking-"

"I'm sorry," Rellix croaked, watching Adrianna with scared eyes. "If I'd known he was with you-"

"Unmark him," she commanded.

"I can't."

"Warlock-" she hissed warningly.

"I would, your highn-" he stopped himself, correcting. "-miss Salvatore. But I can't. Once the deal is struck, it has to be done."

She cursed under her breath, her eyes growing more and more worried as she ran her soft fingers over the rune. He could feel his entire body tense, his free hand itching to reach out and touch her; touch that blush that was trickling down her neck, the curl that was hanging in front of her blue eyes, that lip she was biting.

God, he wanted her.

Even in the midst of this clusterfuck, he wanted her _so_ badly.

 _At least she doesn't hate you,_ the monster inside smiled. _She might be engaged, but she still worries about what happens to you, so she still cares. We still have a shot._

 _I don't want a shot. Look at her. She was safe and happy half an hour ago, with her normal fiancée and now, she's in a warlock's den, because of me. She's better off without me._

 _That's not what you said when you had her pressed against that wall, teasing her, touching her-_

 _I was drunk._

 _Bullshit._

"Maybe the vague aspect of the deal could work in our favor," Adrianna whispered before snarling at Rellix, "Ask Lucian to order you a pizza."

"What?" the warlock frowned.

"You heard me! Repeat after me: _Lucian Nox, do me a favor and order me a large pepperoni pizza with extra onion_. Once he does that, the conditions of the deal are met. He will have done you a favor."

"And that'll work?" Aphrodite asked, cocking an eyebrow as Adrianna handed Hades her phone.

"Only one way to find out," she hissed, staring Rellix down. "Do it!"

* * *

As soon as Adrianna was back outside, she inhaled deeply, drawing the cold night air into her lunges. It felt like she hadn't taken a breath the entire time she'd been in that club. Things could've gone so horribly wrong in there. Instead of walking out with a rune-free Lucian, she could've walked out alone. Or not walked out at all.

"Thank you, Adrianna," Amory's voice sang behind her.

Adrianna turned, adrenaline still coursing through her veins as she watched Lucian come up the stairs behind his niece.

"How could you be so stupid?" she hissed over Amory's shoulder, glaring at him. "I mean, seriously, _how_?!"

Amory shifted uncomfortable. "Well, that's my cue. I think it's time for me to go."

Lucian started to protest, but when she said, "My time's up. I need to get back home," he nodded. She probably had a plane to catch or something.

"It was nice to meet you, Adrianna," the woman said, smiling kindly. "Despite the circumstances."

Adrianna kept her mouth shut, instead giving her a tight nod. If she spoke, nothing nice would pass her lips. She was furious. At both of them.

"I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted," Amory whispered to Lucian, squeezing his arm. "Just don't lose hope. There's still some time. Keep searching."

"Keep searching?!" Adrianna laughed hysterically. "Keep searching?! What is wrong with you people?!"

Feeling her blood boil, Adrianna whirled around and started walking, anger determining her pace. She couldn't stay there, with those two ignorant fools! Not without giving them an earful in the middle of the street! Lucian had barely made it out of that club intact and his niece was spurring him on to continue being an idiot?!

"Adrianna!"

She ignored his deep voice behind her, picking up her pace even more.

"Come on!" he barked, following her through the darkness. "Look, I'm sorry about tonight! I-"

"Which part?" she yelled over her shoulder, feeling tears push against her eyes again. God, why did she cry so easily lately? She'd never been a crier and now, she couldn't stop… "The part of the night where you screwed with my mind or the part where you almost got yourself killed?!"

"No one was getting killed! Don't overreact!"

She spun on her heels, glaring. "Don't overreact?!"

"Made you turn," he said, his lips twitching.

She dug her nails into her palms. "You think this is funny?!"

"No," he rumbled. "But I also don't think there's any reason for you to be this angry."

"Oh, you don't, do you?!" she fumed. "I just left my fiancée at a benefit, alone, to save you from one of the most dangerous warlocks out there, but there's no reason to be angry?!"

"I didn't ask you to come after me!" he snarled, his anger suddenly matching hers. "If you want to go back to him, then go!"

"What?!" she laughed, hysteria in her voice. "First of all, you should get down on your knees and thank me for coming after you, because trust me, that favor Rellix would've asked you for, wouldn't have been ordering a fucking pizza! There's a reason my parents tried to shut down that maniac years ago! His deals get people killed! And secondly, you didn't ask me to follow you?! Half an hour ago, you were begging me to go home with you, to leave Alexander!"

A muscle in his jaw ticked, that same muscle that always ticked when she'd hit a nerve.

"You were right," he growled after a long minute. "I was drunk. I shouldn't have-"

"Save it!" She snapped, shaking her head softly. She'd known this was coming, she'd predicted it…and she was so sick of hearing it, so sick of feeling her heart shatter. "You don't have to explain yourself or apologize! You didn't hurt my feelings, Lucian! In order for you to do that, I still would've needed to _have_ feelings for you to hurt and trust me, whatever I felt for you went away when _you_ did two months ago!"

He sniffed, his eyes dropping to the diamond ring on her finger. "Yeah, I got that."

Adrianna balled her fists, her entire body trembling in rage. "I asked you in that car if you wanted me, remember?! I asked you, if you had any feelings for me and you didn't say a word! You practically shoved me out of that car, out of your life!"

"I know that!"

"Than don't act like _I_ did something wrong! Like _I_ somehow betrayed _you_! You decided our paths for the both of us that night! Not me! If it had been up to me, we would've-"

The sound of shrieking tires cut her off, making them both face the street; the street where a black Volvo had just pulled up beside them. When the doors opened, Lucian grabbed her arm, pulling her back with him, away from the car and the men spilling out of them.

But they didn't get far.

The street they were on was narrow and every possible escape route had been blocked by one of the men before Adrianna even had time to look around. They were organized. Too organized.

 _Professionals._

But professional what?

"Miss Salvatore," the man holding open the door to the backseat said. "Get in."

He might've sounded polite, but it was clear that this wasn't a friendly request. And Lucian knew that, too. She could feel his grip on her tighten, could see his hard body prepare for whatever was about to happen.

"No, thank you," she hissed. "Maybe next time."

"Oh, come on, don't be difficult," the guy continued. "It took us a lot of time and effort to get here. You're not an easy woman to get alone."

"She's not alone."

The man acted as if Lucian hadn't spoken, smiling as he said, "Miss, you can either sit in the backseat or I can throw your ass in the trunk. Those are you only two options."

"There's a third," Lucian gnarled, his voice now almost animalistic. "It involves killing each and every one of you before you can lay a hand on her."

The four men laughed, but Adrianna could tell he was dead serious.

"You do realize you're outnumbered, don't you?"

"Four of you," Lucian snarled. "Two of us. I like those odds."

"You are not part of our orders, friend. Just leave the girl here and you can walk away."

"I'm not your friend and that's never going to happen."

"You should really go."

"Fuck you," he hissed. "The only way you're taking her, is over my dead body."

"Fine."

Adrianna had barely registered the man's hand disappearing into his jacket before she saw the moonlight reflecting in the silver barrel. The moment she realized he'd pulled out a gun, she tried to move forward…but Lucian had seen the weapon a second earlier and had pushed her behind his back, shielding her.

And then, she heard it.

 _Pop._

 _Pop._

 _Pop_.

She heard herself scream, watching in horror as Lucian fell to his knees.

Her heart echoing in her ears, she moved in front of him, finding those grey eyes as tears filled hers.

 _No!_

She stood for a couple seconds, her stomach churning, her mind trying to catch up with what was happening…

…and then, it did.

He'd been shot. Lucian had been shot.

Adrianna felt her heart stop, then pound so violently she could no longer breathe. In a blur of movement, she crashed to her knees beside him, hearing herself choke on her tears as she stared at the three small holes in his shirt, meticulously placed over his beautiful heart, trying to stop it from beating.

No, not trying.

Succeeding.

Her teeth chattering in horror, she forced her hands over the wounds, pressing down with all the strength she had left, trying to keep the blood inside his body. But no matter how hard she pushed, she could feel the cold darkness seep through her fingers relentlessly.

 _So much blood. Too much blood._

"Please, Lucian!" she croaked, every fiber of her being hurting, screaming out in grief. "Please!"

His jaw set as his hand moved over hers on his chest. She could see how much pain he was in, could see him struggling to hold on.

"Cara." His voice was weak, but still somehow held the strength it had always held, the authority as he croaked, "Run."

She frowned, shaking her head. She couldn't leave him. Why would he even ask her that? Why would he-

Suddenly, two sets of hands grabbed her, pulling her away from him, _dragging_ her away and it was only then that she remembered the men; remembered that she was still in danger. Not that it mattered. She didn't care about her own safety, that's not why she fought their grips with abandon. She struggled because no one else was going to help him. These monsters were just going to leave him there to die, on the cold ground, like an animal.

"No!" she cried, throwing herself forward, digging her heels into the pavement, hitting everything she could hit as those grey eyes held hers. She could still see that fire, that rage she'd seen so many times…but if no one helped him, it would extinguish. "No, Lucian! Let me go, you bastards! Help him! You have to help-"

A damp cloth was slapped over her mouth and suddenly, everything turned into a blur.

 _Chloroform._

She tried to hold her breath, tried to keep fighting…but after a while, desperate for oxygen, her lunges expanded again, pulling in more of the chemical.

And just like that, her limbs went numb and the world disappeared.

 _He_ disappeared.

Everything was lost.

* * *

The first thing Adrianna noticed when she opened her eyes, was the pain. Not the darkness, not the vibrations underneath her body. No. The pain. A pain that came from within; a pain so terrible, so destructive that she couldn't breathe.

For a wonderful second, she didn't understand where it came from…and then, the memory resurfaced.

 _Lucian!_

Panicking, she tried to move, tried to see, but wherever she was, it was small. Too small.

 _They shoved me in the trunk!_ she realized with a start, clutching her hair. _I'm in a car! We're driving! Lucian's alone!_

Panicking, she screamed, kicking the metal around her. She knew it was no use though; knew that even if she got out, there was no way she could still save him. No one survived three clean shots to the heart.

 _Oh, God...no._

Fresh tears filled her eyes as despair took her over; the kind of despair she'd never felt before. For the first time in her life, she couldn't see past the pain. She didn't know how to go on, how to get through this. Everything seemed so bleak, so pointless, so empty.

It was only then, in that moment, that she knew…

…Alexander had been right.

 _I loved him._

 _Oh, God, I loved him!_

She inhaled sharply, this ball of pain twisting in her belly. How could she have been such an idiot?! So much time wasted, spent fighting when they could've been together! She never should've gotten out of that car, she never should've allowed him to push her away! She should've stayed, her pride be damned! Now, it was too late! She'd never see him again! He would never know! She'd never get the chance to tell him!

Because he was dead.

 _Dead_.

Her mouth opened in a mute scream, her knees pulling up to her chest, trying to keep her insides from spilling out. Lucian was dead. He was dead. Oh, _God_ , he was dead.

She screamed in the darkness. But it wasn't a scream for help. No, this was the kind of scream only those who'd lost _everything_ could utter. It was the kind of scream that held so much pain, it left a permanent darkness in whoever heard it.

But no one heard it. Because every sound was drowned out by the loud music booming inside the car.

Where _they_ were.

The men who were responsible.

The men who'd killed him.

And that's when she realized there _was_ a point to her life, even without him.

 _One_.

Making sure those animals got what they deserved.

All of a sudden, an eerie calm fell over her, her mind clear and focused as she took in her surroundings again, this time with an analytical mind.

She was trapped in a trunk, she could feel they were driving fast and from her calculations, the amount of Chloroform she'd inhaled couldn't have knocked her out for long.

 _Long enough for him to die._

She shook her head, getting rid of that voice. She couldn't listen, couldn't feel. Not now. She knew what she had to do.

Relieved to find they hadn't bound her hands, she felt around for her purse, but it was nowhere to be found. So much for using anything in there to get out. There was no trunk release cable inside either, which meant the car was an older model, which also meant the locking mechanism was probably outdated. When she let her fingers run over the lock, she recognized the model. It was old, easily broken with something strong enough. The only problem was, she didn't _have_ anything strong enough.

But maybe _they_ did.

Shifting as deep into the trunk as she could, she ran her palms over the bottom searching for the compartment where the tools to change a tire would be. When she found it…she found it empty.

Cursing, she hit the metal, feeling her fingers scream out.

 _Finger_.

With a jolt, she remembered this story she'd once heard about a thief breaking bulletproof glass by placing a diamond on it and applying the right amount of force. If it worked on bulletproof glass, it sure as hell would work on this old lock…and her engagement ring was a real diamond. She was sure, because Alexander had made a big deal about getting a real rock and not a fake one, even though their entire relationship was fake. Something about his reputation. She'd never thought that monstrosity would come in handy one day…or it would've, if it had still been on her finger.

Those fuckers must've taken it from her before locking her in the trunk. They'd taken _everything_.

Feeling raw, blinding rage seep out her every pore, she slammed her fist into the metal over and over again, screaming.

And then…silence.

No more music.

"Did you hear that?" A male voice boomed.

Adrianna froze.

"I didn't hear anything. Don't worry, she's still out cold," a female said.

"Maybe we should-"

"Don't be a pussy, man," another deep voice said. "We're almost there."

"I still don't get why we couldn't just shoot her like that asshole back there, Richards! Why go through the hassle of taking her back to her place-"

"Because that's the order! It needs to look like a break-in! We get her to her apartment, force the lock, play with her a little, put a bullet between her eyes and make it seem like a robbery gone wrong! That's what we're getting paid for!"

No one else objected. This guy was clearly the leader.

When the music started up again, Adrianna knew she should be petrified after hearing their plan. But she wasn't. In fact, she felt the opposite. She felt…thrilled. See, during that whole conversation, she'd heard them as if they were sitting right next to her.

Because they were.

A fresh dose of adrenaline coursing through her veins, Adrianna turned her body around so she faced the back of the trunk. Carefully, she reached out…and touched soft fabric. This was a car with a fold-down backseat, made to give the passengers easy access to the trunk. Or, in this case, give whoever was in the trunk easy access to the passengers.

After a quick inspection, she realized her best bet was breaking through the middle part of the backseat, the part with the arm rest. This model's arm rest was wide enough for her to get through, at least the parts of her that _needed_ to get through.

As quickly as she could, she turned her body again, twisting it until her back was pressed firmly against the front of the trunk, her feet positioned towards the armrest.

And then, she took a breath.

She would only get one chance at this, one kick. She had to break that armrest to gain access to the bastards inside that car, which meant she had to kick hard enough and right in the center or otherwise, it wouldn't break in one try. And if it didn't break in one try, they would know what she was doing and the element of surprise would be gone…and she _needed_ the element of surprise. Everything had to happen so fast, they didn't have time to react, time to think. She had to take them out before they even realized what was happening.

Another deep breath…and his face was there, the sun beaming down on him, glistening in his grey depths. A treasured memory from their day on that beach.

 _No._

 _Stop._

 _Don't get distracted._

Swallowing away the pain, she braced herself, tensed every muscle…and kicked.

There was no time to pat herself on the back when the armrest cracked and crashed out of her way. There was no time to even process how lucky she'd been.

In a blur of limbs, she spun her body, kicked her feet and forced her upper body through the hole. As she'd calculated, her hips didn't fit…but they didn't need to, either. She only needed her upper body to fit. After all, she wasn't trying to escape. This wasn't about getting out. This was about justice.

Two pairs of wide eyes stared down at her from the backseat and as she'd hoped, both men instinctively reached for their weapons.

She beat them to the punch.

As soon as she'd noticed where their hands were going, her own hands had shot out, reaching their weapons faster than they could. The men barely had a chance to process they'd been disarmed before Adrianna had put the muzzles of their own guns against their chins and pulled the triggers. She could hear a scream come from the front seat, her eyes meeting a woman's in the rearview mirror. She was driving the car, the car that had taken her away from him…and she was wearing the diamond ring that had been on _her_ finger only an hour ago. They'd killed the only man she'd ever loved…and then tried on her jewelry? Her anger almost distracted her from the fact that there was someone in the seat beside the woman, someone who was already reaching inside his jacket…someone she recognized.

It was _him_.

 _He'd_ shot Lucian.

The amount of adrenaline and rage that surged though her body then, gave her a strength she'd never experienced before in her life. Suddenly, her hips slipped through the hole without any effort, without any pain, even though there was no way she'd done that without hurting herself. She just didn't feel it. Her mind had only one goal.

Him.

In the blink of an eyes, she'd somehow forced herself over the backseat, over the slumped down bodies; and had then thrown herself into the front of the car to straddle the man who'd never gotten the chance to pull his weapon. She didn't shoot him, though. No, that would be too quick.

Letting out a primal scream, Adrianna just…lost herself, slamming her fists into his face over and over again. She could feel her knuckles tare and at once, her mind flashed back to that dark night in that alley, when Lucian had almost killed a man because he'd thought he'd killed her. She'd stopped him just in time…but there was no one here to stop _her_. Because unlike her in that alley, Lucian _was_ dead.

He wouldn't come back, he wouldn't tell her everything was going to be alright.

He wouldn't do anything.

He was _dead_.

It was only when she felt the car swerve, that her fists dropped back by her side. The man had stopped moving seconds ago, but her rage hadn't cooled one bit.

"Oh, God!" the raven haired woman screamed, her eyes switching between the road and the bloody mess Adrianna was still straddling. "Oh God! Oh God!"

Without hesitation, she pulled out the weapon the man beneath her had abandoned in his jacket, the weapon that had destroyed everything she loved…and pointed it at the woman's head.

"You can't kill me!" she screamed, her hands tight on the wheel. "I'm going two hundred miles an hour! If you shoot me, this car will crash and at this speed, you'll die too!"

Adrianna sniffed…

…smiled…

…and fired.

* * *

Hades gasped for air, his lunges expanding painfully as he drew in oxygen. Blinking wildly, he tried to focus his eyes, but the world was a blur of darkness and vague figures. He had no idea what was going on, didn't know where he was or how he'd gotten there. All he knew, was that something was wrong. He could hear the monster in him screaming, clawing, trying to make him remember something.

But what?

"I know this must be disorienting," a voice he recognized said above him as hands pulled at his arms. "But you have to get up. We have to move."

Hades felt himself being dragged to his feet and when he finally stood, the world came back into focus.

And so did the man who was supporting him.

"Rellix?" he grated out, his voice disturbingly weak. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later," he puffed. "Right now, we have to get out of here before the cops show up. Someone must've heard."

"Heard what?"

The warlock's eyes dropped and when he followed his gaze, he found a man lying there. Dead. He was clutching a gun with a silencer, but from the looks of it, he'd been the one on the wrong side of a bullet.

"Colin had to take him out," Rellix said, nodding his head at the man who was supporting Hades' other side. "He's my bodyguard and one hell of a hitman. That guy down there was about to put a bullet in your head when we happened to come by. I wouldn't have been able to help you if he'd shot you in the head."

"Help me?"

The warlock frowned. "You don't remember? You were shot. In the chest. Repeatedly. He hit your heart three times, dead centre. If I hadn't come along, you'd be a goner, with or without the additional bullet between the eyes."

Hades clutched his forehead.

"Don't worry, you'll remember in a few moments. It's probably a side effect off the spell I did. I had to hit you with a large dose of magic to get those bullets out of you and heal your heart. I basically had to reverse time in one specific place until those bullets came back out like nothing happened. I even saved your shirt. It's as good as new."

Hades felt memories push, shreds of images flashing before his eyes.

"You'll tell her, right?"

Hades looked at him, his head suddenly throbbing. "What?"

"You'll tell her I did this, right? You'll tell her I saved you? I don't want to be on her bad side and after tonight, I'm pretty sure Adrianna is not my biggest fan."

Hades froze, stopping in the middle of the road.

 _Adrianna._

The second her name had slipped from the warlock's lips, everything had come rushing back. Their fight, the men, the gun…and his girl, crying over his broken body…before being dragged away from him, drugged and shoved in a car.

He'd tried to fight, tried to get to her, but he'd barely been able to move. He'd heard the man who'd shot him order the guy who was now laying lifeless on the pavement to stay behind and 'tie up loose ends'. And then they'd driven off…with his woman in the trunk.

"Look, I know you don't feel well, but we have to go," the warlock said, pulling at him.

His mind racing, Hades shrugged them off, frantically looking around. There had to be some way to find her, to save her!

"Jesus…How are you standing by yourself right now? You shouldn't even be conscious," Rellix said, adding underneath his breath, "You're not entirely what you seem, are you?"

"They took her!" Hades snarled ignoring his question.

"Who took who?"

"Adrianna! They took Adrianna!"

Rellix sniffed. "No, you must still be delirious from the magic. No one would be dumb enough to kidnap a Salvatore."

"They were human! They don't know about the Salvatores! They don't know the repercussions of taking her!" Although, nothing the Salvatores could come up with, would be as gruesome as what he would do if they'd harmed her in any way…

"Where did they take her?" Rellix asked, looking around then, too.

"I don't know!"

"Do you know who they were?"

"No!"

"Who they could be working for?"

"No! I don't-" He trailed off as one face popped up in his mind. "Rodchenko."

"Dimitri Rodchenko?" Rellix cocked an eyebrow. "The guy who owns the club downtown?"

Hades growled, rage ravaging through his blood. "Did you drive here?"

"I did," Rellix said, gesturing at the car they'd been walking towards.

 _Not fast enough._

"Is that yours?" he asked the bodyguard, spotting the sleek, black motorcycle parked behind the vehicle.

The guy nodded.

"Give me the keys."

Colin shot his boss a surprised look, clearly not keen on handing over his bike.

"Give me the goddamned keys," Hades snarled viciously. "Before I take them from you."

Colin raised his chin defiantly.

"Colin," Rellix said in a commanding tone. "Do as he says."

A part of Hades had hoped that fucker would've refused to follow his boss' orders, the monster itching for a fight, to vent his rage…but a more prominent part of him was relieved when the keys dropped into his palm. There was no time to lose. She was out there, in danger and no one even knew it. No one but him.

Without another word, Hades straddled the bike and spat off into the night, heading for his only lead. His mind went mad the entire drive there, imagining things that made his blood run cold. What if he was too late? He had no idea how long he'd been unconscious. What if he'd been knocked out for hours and Rodchenko had been hurting her that entire time? Or worse, what if-

A car honked loudly, missing him by inches. Skilled, he forced the bike into another lane, never adjusting his speed.

 _Focus, before you get yourself killed! And then who's going to find her!_

He turned into another street, heading for the bridge.

 _You know he's probably not holding her in his club, right?_ The monster pointed out.

 _I know,_ he snarled back. _But he'll tell me where she is. I'll_ make him _tell me where she is._

The monster stretched, preparing for what was about to come. He knew Hades was going to let him out. There was no more room for anything even remotely human.

They'd taken his girl.

He was going to take her back.

He turned another corner…and cursed. Hitting the brakes, he raised, trying to look over the traffic jam, trying to find a way through. But there was none. At least not with that bike.

Snarling, he dismounted the machine, breaking into a run, forcing his way through the maze of cars. Rodchenko's club was right by the water. He was almost there.

"Terrible accident," he heard a woman, who was standing beside her car, say to her passenger. "They were probably drunk."

Hades ignored the way his chest was suddenly tightening and continued his path.

He picked up the smell of burned rubber before he actually saw the black smoke. And then, for some reason, he found himself running towards it.

Towards the smoke.

Towards the blazing blue lights.

His feet slowed down the closer he got, as if his body was trying to stop him from continuing on; as if it was trying to protect him from what he would find there.

"-just a big mess," he heard one of the fireman say, his helmet clutched between his fingers. "I haven't seen a wreck this bad in a long time."

He reached police tape…and froze, everything inside him shutting down.

Right there, smoldering in front of his eyes, its nose buried into the concrete side of the bridge, was a car.

 _The_ car.

Completely burned out.

His hands shaking beside him, his eyes slowly slid to where the trunk used to be. It was just a twisted heap of metal now, destroyed by the flames.

 _No._

"Adrianna?" He'd whispered her name so softly, so broken that only the woman in uniform standing mere inches away from him, had heard.

"Sir, you can't be here," she said in a strict voice, moving in front of him, blocking his view. "This is the scene of a serious accident. It's not appropriate to stand here gaping-"

"Is she in there?" he asked, watching men in white suits reach inside the car, an empty gurney folded beside them. "Is Adrianna in there?"

"Adrianna?" she repeated, her face softer. "Sir, do you know who this car belongs to? Do you know the victims?"

 _Victims?_

"I need to see her," he gnarled, pushing through the tape. "Where is she?! Where is Adrianna?!"

The woman stopped him, waving over her colleagues for help. "Sir, you can't go near the vehicle."

"Where is she?!" he yelled again as hands grabbed his arms, pulling him back. "Adrianna!"

"Sir," a male voice said behind him. "Please, calm down and-"

"Calm down?!" Hades snarled, turning in a blur, his eyes spitting fire as he towered over the cop. "You have no idea who you're dealing with, mortal! Tell me where my girl is! Tell me where Adrianna is!"

"Sir-"

He spun back towards the woman, pinning her down with a furious look. "Stop saying _sir_ and tell me where-"

And then, time stopped.

Feeling every ounce of fight drain from him, his eyes found the men in the white suits, pushing a gurney to an ambulance. A gurney that now had a body on top of it. A sheet covered it…but everything inside Hades turned cold.

He knew people were talking to him, but he heard nothing other than the sound of his entire being breaking into pieces.

Panic raging in his chest, Hades threw himself forward again, desperate to see, to know.

 _It can't be her!_

 _Please, not her!_

He'd almost made it to the gurney when three men forced him to the ground. But he still didn't stop fighting. Not even when they tasered him and electricity shot through his body. It didn't even slow him down.

Frantically, he fought, slamming his fists into whatever he could reach, thrashing, growling…until the gurney was lifted into the ambulance and a hand slipped from underneath the sheet. It was burnt, blackened…but one thing had survived the fire.

Whatever fight he'd had left in him vanished the second he saw that diamond ring on her finger.

 _Her_ ring.

This sinking feeling overtook him, his stomach turning. He felt like throwing up, cold sweat running down his neck, his back.

 _No! It can't be her!_

Denial rushing through him, he slipped from underneath the men, making a run for the ambulance.

Just when his fingertips brushed the sheet, hands grabbed his arms again, pulling him back. But the sheet had slipped. Only a little, but enough to reveal a tangled mess of raven curls.

And Hades screamed.

He screamed her name over and over again, his legs giving out. The cops' faces went from angry to compassionate as Hades dropped to his knees, staring at her, staring at the curls he'd never feel flowing through his fingers again.

 _She's dead._

 _My girl is dead._

Grief hit him, pain so deep there were no words to describe the destruction, the terror. _Everything_ hurt. Not just his body, but his soul, every single corner of it. Because it had been hers. Since the very first moment, his soul had been hers. With her gone…there was nothing left.

Watching the doors of the ambulance close, Hades reached for the crystal that still hung around his neck. All he had to do was break it and he'd be back in that dark pit where he belonged. Maybe he'd even see Adrianna again, just for a moment, before her soul-that beautiful pure soul-would move out of the darkness and into the light. He could tell her how sorry he was; what an idiot he'd been; how much he loved her.

 _Fuck_ , he should've told her when he'd had the chance! He should've told her how deeply he loved her! How she'd saved him before she'd even been born! How she'd changed a monster into a man with one innocent smile! He should've fucking told her! And held her, kissed her, _protected_ her!

 _You could still be with her,_ the monster whispered. _Keep her soul with you, for eternity._

He shook his head, clutching his hair. He wanted to, God help him, he wanted to…but no one should have to spend eternity down in that cave, in the darkness. Especially not her. Not his girl.

He'd failed her in life; He wouldn't fail her in death.

Clutching the dark crystal tighter, he was about to rip it off and smash it against the concrete…until he heard the cop in front of him ask, "Sir, do you have any idea what happened here? Who the people in the car were? Where they were going?"

And suddenly, he realized he couldn't leave. Not yet. Not before the fucker responsible for this had paid. And _he_ wanted to be the one to exact punishment, which meant he had to stay human. As a god, he wouldn't even be able to physically _touch_ him in this world…but as a man, he was going to _rip him apart_.

His mind suddenly focused, Hades let out a primal growl. He would make sure that murderer suffered for what he'd done. Not just in this world, but in the next, too. As soon as that monster was dead, he would break the crystal and continue his torture in the Underworld. Rodchenko would suffer for all of eternity. He'd make sure of it. There wouldn't be a single second of peace for him and he would never forget the name of the angel he'd killed. Never. Just like _he_ would never forget losing her…

An eerie calm falling over him, Hades slowly rose from his knees, ignoring the surprised glances the police exchanged.

"Sir?" the police woman whispered, watching him closely. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." His voice was calm, but underneath the surface, a storm was raging. Anger, hate, anguish, loss… Everything swirled inside of him, destroying whatever good she'd birthed in him.

"I was wrong," he added, his voice cool. "I don't know any of these people."

"You don't know these people?" The woman huffed, cocking a confused eyebrow. "But, you were just-"

"I can't help you," he cut her off. "I apologize for the inconvenience."

They protested, but they didn't have any grounds for keeping him there, so they couldn't do anything to stop him when he turned his back and walked away.

Focusing on the only thing he still had left in this world.

Revenge.

* * *

Everything felt wrong.

Pain stabbed from all sides.

Her lunges screamed out as they inflated.

Water poured from her mouth.

She tried to breathe in, but whenever she inhaled, she coughed instead, air scraping her throat like sandpaper.

"Is she alive? Is she okay?"

Adrianna looked up at the woman who'd spoken, her eyes stinging as they tried to adjust to the darkness.

"Miss? Can you hear me?"

She focused on the young man who was crouching over her, watching her with horror in his eyes.

Confused, Adrianna tried to sit up, but he held her down gently.

"I don't think you should move, miss. The ambulance is on its way."

 _Ambulance?_

She pushed against the guy's grip again and this time, he let her sit up…although she almost wished he hadn't. Her entire body felt sore. Every muscle ached, her ribs felt wrong, her head throbbing. Confused, she glanced around, trying to remember what had happened…but drawing a blank. Why was she lying in a field by the side of a river?

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice raw. "How did I get here?"

"You're a few miles from the city, but I don't know how you got here, miss. My girlfriend and I were taking a walk and we saw you floating."

"Floating?"

"In the water," the girl said from above. "You were in the water."

 _What?_ Her mind panicking, she looked down at herself; at her dress that was now clinging to her body like a second skin; at her feet without shoes. _What the hell happened to me?_

"If we hadn't come along-"

The woman trailed off, but she knew. She knew what she'd meant to say.

 _I would've died._

It was the word _died_ that clung to her mind; that bounced around in her head as if her brain was tasting it, swirling it in its mouth, trying to figure out why it felt so familiar.

And then, it hit her.

She remembered the car, the crash, her flying through the windshield.

She remembered falling. And falling. And falling.

And then, just when she'd thought it would never end, her body had hit water…and it had all turned dark.

And her last conscious thought, had been about _him_.

The cold hand of death clutched her heart, cutting of her breath.

 _Lucian._

Tears flooded her eyes as she remembered, her body and soul aching again in ways no physical pain could ever trump. And suddenly, she hated that man crouching down in front of her. Why had he pulled her out of that water? Why had he saved her?

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it wasn't right to wish for death; she knew that her family would be devastated…but she didn't care. For the first time ever, Adrianna was truly and completely selfish. She didn't care about the consequences. She didn't care about anything, but making the pain stop. She couldn't deal with this kind of torment. She wasn't strong enough.

Her heart shattering in her chest, she scrambled up. She could already feel her body healing. She used to think of it as a blessing to have the Salvatore genes, to have her body regenerating much faster than a regular human's. But not now. Every physical ache she felt disappearing, took her further away from him.

"Where are you going?" the woman practically shrieked. "You're in no condition. The ambulance-"

"I don't need an ambulance," she croaked, wiping tears from her cheeks. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine," the man jumped in. "You need-"

"What I need is gone!"

The couple took a step back at her angry words, the man wrapping his arm around his girlfriend…and Adrianna felt more tears slip down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, stumbling back. "I'm sorry."

As she walked away, she knew she should thank them for saving her life…but she couldn't bring herself to do it. It felt wrong. So, she just kept walking.

The night was already pitch black, not many souls still roamed the streets. Good. She didn't want anyone else stopping her, trying to make her go to a hospital. No hospital would heal her better than her own cells would. She was being betrayed by her own body.

Just like the night she'd held that dying woman in her arms, she had no idea where she was going…until she reached the iron gates. She climbed them without any effort, her ribs no longer screaming out.

The second she stepped inside the giant estate, this feeling washed over her. A feeling she'd never felt anywhere, except maybe in Italy as a little girl.

The feeling of coming home.

Her hand clasped over her mouth, but it didn't muffle the sobs. Her pain echoed in the hallway, bounced of the stone walls. How had she never realized before that this was where she belonged? Why only now, when the heart of the home was gone? When _he_ was gone? What a cruel twist of faith was it, that at the moment she'd finally found her place in the world, the whole damned thing had come crashing down?

Her knees trembling, Adrianna dragged herself up the stairs, heading for the room at the very end of the hallway, the room she'd only been in once.

 _His_ room.

With shaking hands, she pushed open the door…and immediately, his smell enveloped her. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply, feeling everything inside tear apart. She made it to the bed before her legs finally gave out and her anguish overtook her. Curling up into a ball, Adrianna clutched his sheets to her chest, burying her nose in them, breathing him in; and it was then that she realized that even if her body healed, she would never survive this night. Not completely, anyway. A part of her would be left there, in his bed, lost forever. So, she cried. She cried for the life she would never have, the woman she would never become and most of all, for the man she would never get a chance to love.

* * *

Hades moved through the streets, countless images of her swirling through his mind. He tried to block them, tried to stay focused on his rage, but grief was hitting him from all sides, sneaking into his head, his blood, his heart. He could feel how close he was to breaking, how easy it would be to give in and disappear in his pain, to let it consume him until there was nothing left.

But if he gave up, Rodchenko would get away with killing the only thing that had ever mattered to Hades.

And there was no way he would let that happen.

 _Someone_ had to pay.

Hot rage burning in his stomach, Hades picked up his pace, his hands fisting by his side. He'd never felt this primal, this dangerous. He'd never been out for blood. Back in the day, he'd wanted Klaus dead for what he'd done to Elena, but this was something else entirely. He didn't just want Rodchenko _dead_. He wanted him ripped apart, suffering for all eternity, begging for his miserable little life.

When he turned the corner and saw the bright blue neon lights, the rage only grew.

 _Rodchenko's club._

People were lining up to get in, excited, happy. They had no idea what monster lurked between those four walls. But he'd show them. He'd gut that fucker with his bare hands and show them exactly what he looked like on the inside.

Feeling the darkness wrap around his heart, he imagined everything he wanted to do to Rodchenko in vivid detail as he crossed the street...and then, he noticed something that made his feet halt. Seeing red, he changed course, heading straight for the black car parked in the shadows of an alley.

Growling, his eyes found that fucker's through the windshield, watching them widen. When Hades reached the car, he didn't hesitate, immediately jerking open the driver's door and pulling out the idiot inside, slamming him back against the brick wall.

"What the hell man?" Vasquez barked, trying to squirm out of his grasp. But Hades kept a tight grip, putting his face inches from Vasquez', his lips pulling back over his teeth.

The PI froze, his eyes turning fearful as he raised his palms in surrender.

"Okay, okay," he panicked, swallowing hard. "What's going on? What did I do?"

"What did you do?!" Hades snarled, gripping Vasquez' jacket tighter, the leather squeaking underneath his fingers.

That moron just looked confused.

"Did I not tell you to leave her alone?!" Hades fumed, feeling blood rush to his face. "I told you this would happen! I told you she'd get hurt!"

Vasquez' eyes widened again. "She's hurt? Adrianna's hurt?"

Hades slammed him against the wall again, his muscles aching to do more, to destroy him, to pummel him...but for reasons he would never understand, Adrianna had considered this asshole a friend. He couldn't kill her friend. She wouldn't have approved.

"Is she okay?" Vasquez asked, his eyes switching back and forth between his. "Is Adrianna okay?"

"No, she's not!" He yelled, his rage and pain thick in his voice. "She's not okay! What did you expect?! You two, in a car, spying on a serial killer?! Did you really think that would end well? Did you think there would be no consequences?"

Vasquez frowned, shaking his head confused. "Wait, are you saying you think Rodchenko is the one that hurt her?"

Hades just growled.

"No," Vasquez said, shaking his head. "Rodchenko couldn't have."

"Because he's such a fucking stand-up guy?!"

"No, because he never left! I was here all night! He didn't move!"

"You have x-ray vision now?! You can see trough walls?! He could've gone out the backdoor!"

"No, look, just let me go so I can show you something, okay?"

Hades hesitated for a brief moment...and then let his fingers slip from his jacket. At once, Vasquez ducked inside his car again, pulling out a black box. When he turned a button, loud music rang through the night. And a voice.

Rodchenko's voice.

He was joking around with someone, laughing.

That fucker had just destroyed his entire world...and he was _laughing_?

Snarling, Hades turned, about to head for the club across the street, but Vasquez cut off his path.

"Listen to me Nox, whatever happened to Adrianna, it wasn't him!"

"Just because he didn't get his hands dirty-"

"-doesn't mean he didn't give the order? No, you're right. Generally speaking, he lets others do his dirty work...but not when it comes to Adrianna. If he made a move for her, he would've done it himself. He _hates_ her. He would've wanted to be the one to make her suffer."

 _Which is why they didn't shoot her on the spot like they shot me,_ his monster snarled. _They were bringing her to him._

Hades tried to get to the street again, but Vasquez didn't give up, snarling, "Fine, you don't believe that? Than believe this: if Rodchenko had anything to do with harming Adrianna or even had plans of harming her, he would've been bragging about it to his men every chance he got! He takes pride in being a sadistic bastard! And yet, so far, all night, not a word!"

Hades clutched his hands, hating the fact that the fuck had a point. But if it wasn't Rodchenko, then who? Who did he need to punish?! He wanted to leave, get out of this damned world, drown in the darkness but he couldn't leave before he'd taken his revenge…

"It _has_ to be Rodchenko!" Hades gnarled, his skin tingling, his entire body itching to kill, to maim, to make _someone_ pay.

"It wasn't him, Nox! Trust me!"

"Trust you?!" Hades laughed coldly, narrowing his eyes. "I would never trust you, Vasquez. Something about you feels…off."

The PI sniffed, narrowing his eyes as well. "Something about _me_ feels off?! _You_ are the one that came out of nowhere and started meddling in her life! If anyone's to blame for whatever happened to her, it's-"

Hades' fist flew out, striking Vasquez' jaw with all the anger that was surging through his body. He could hear something crack, could see the blood on that fucker's lips…and God, did it feel good.

"I tried to keep her safe, but you kept undermining me!" he yelled. "You kept encouraging her to go after Rodchenko; kept pretending like nothing bad would happen and now, she's gone!"

Vasquez' fingers dropped from his bleeding mouth, his angry eyes softening as he stared at Hades.

"Gone?" he whispered. "What are you talking about?"

Hades clutched his jaw, his cold eyes piercing his. He opened his mouth to tell him; to say the words…but he couldn't get them passed his lips.

"What did you mean, Nox?!" he snarled, panic roaring in his eyes. "Tell me!"

But Hades could see he didn't need to tell him.

The PI knew.

Staring into the night, Vasquez leaned back against the car, his face suddenly pale. "She's-"

"Yes," Hades cut him off, not wanting to hear it out loud. He couldn't take hearing it out loud…

"It wasn't Rodchenko," Vasquez whispered again when Hades moved to leave the alley. "You can go in there and work out your anger on him anyway, but he'll kill you…and then, you'll never get revenge."

Hades stared at the blue light, his monster begging to take the chance regardless, begging for a fight, for some way to get rid of all the rage and pain…but Vasquez was right. He had to be sure. If he died in that club and it turned out Rodchenko had nothing to do with his, then Adrianna's real murderer would go free. Who else was going to bring him to justice if not Hades? That spineless PI? The police? Even if they somehow found him, they would just lock him up, leave him to live out his days in some cell. It would be years before Hades would get his hands on him in the Underworld. He couldn't wait years. He wouldn't.

 _Aphrodite._

Her name popped up in his head out of nowhere, an idea forming. The goddess could help him. She could go to the oracles back at Olympus, ask them to look in the past and find her killer. With hurried fingers, he checked his watch. It was long past midnight now. Aphrodite wouldn't be human anymore. She'd already be a goddess again, which meant she could only appear in places with a large amount of supernatural energy. Luckily, Hades knew exactly where those places where located. He'd built properties on each and every single one of them. The closest being his home.

Without looking back, Hades left that alley and headed for his house; the house he'd shared with her. His insides clenching again, memories hit him from every side. Her face, her smile, her laugh, those beautiful blue eyes.

When he finally reached his home, his hands were shaking so bad, he could barely type in the security code to open his gates.

 _Just a little longer,_ he thought, walking up his graveled driveway. _Just hold on a little longer._

 _Do you really thing you won't miss her once you're back in the Underworld?_ His monster mocked. _Do you really think the pain will be any less?_

Hades ignored the demon, knowing full well it was right…How was he going to spend eternity like this? Without her?

His legs feeling like rubber, he somehow made it into his house…only to be welcomed by a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. This house was filled to the brim with memories. Memories of her. Even though she'd only been there for a few weeks, she'd brought a warmth to his house, a sense of…home. God, he'd been such an idiot! All that time, she'd been in the room next to his, right there, so fucking close…and he'd stayed away. He'd stayed away when they could've spend every moment together, making memories, making love, being happy. But what had he done instead? He'd hurt her, over and over again.

"Aphrodite?" he barked into the darkness. "I know you can hear me! Come down here! Now!"

No one answered.

No one appeared.

She had to know what was going on! She always knew! Why wouldn't she come and help him?!

Furious, Hades stalked to his study. He knew another way of getting her there, one she couldn't ignore. It was called The Fire Of Abaddon. If you mixed the right herbs, it would ball into an energy source so great it could summon a god. No mortal knew about it, but it was a well-known recipe on Olympus. And he just happened to have all the ingredients stashed away in his locked desk.

Not bothering with a key, he pulled open the drawer, the wood splintering all over the floor. Frantically, he began pulling out the odorous satchels of herbs, slamming them down on his desk. He knew this method of summoning a god hurt like hell for the god in question, but he didn't care. He didn't care who he hurt to get to the fucker who'd killed-

A creaking floorboard made his eyes snap up to the door…and his heart stopped.

For the second time that night, time stood still.

There, in the doorway, staring at him with tears in her eyes…stood his beautiful girl.

"Adrianna?"

He started to move towards her…but then, he caught himself. She couldn't be there. She was dead. This was just a phantom; a figment of his imagination; a way of his mind to stop itself from going mad. He didn't quite understand why his mind would conjure her up in a torn dress, her feet bare…but he was sure she wasn't actually there. She couldn't be. So, he stood in the middle of his study, waiting for her to vanish.

She never did.

Instead, she started walking towards him.

He could see her legs trembling, teardrops trickling down her pale cheeks.

 _It's not her._

She stopped right in front of him and _God_ , his imagination was good. It had even brought forth her smell. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply, letting the memory of her scent fill his lunges. Tears pushed to break free as everything inside of him fell to pieces…

…and then, he felt it.

Her touch.

Snapping his eyes back open, he stared down at her while she stared in shock at the tiny hand she had pressed against his heart.

 _You can't feel ghosts._

Slowly, scared to believe, Hades raised his hands. The second he touched her cheeks, he let out a strangled breath. She felt _warm_. His girl was warm.

More tears fell from her eyes as she looked up at him with those blue eyes, her lips parted on a shaky exhale. "Lucian?"

 _That voice…_ Her _voice…_

And then, he gave up.

Growling, he cupped a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her full, succulent lips to his, swallowing her gasp. She tasted salty from her tears, but it was her. Her scent, her taste, her touch. It was _really_ her.

She threw herself into the kiss with the same ferocity as him, her arms looping around his neck, her little fingers sliding through his hair. Her touch was gentle at first, but then rougher as he pressed her closer to him. He could feel her heart racing against his body, a body that was brimming with desire; a desire unlike anything he'd ever felt before. This wasn't just sexual. He didn't merely want her, he _needed_ her. He needed to touch her, kiss her, bury himself inside of her and feel she was really there, alive and warm and safe.

Gripping her hair, he held her face to his as his tongue pushed against her lips, demanding access…and she gave it without hesitation. His balls tightened as he felt her tongue eagerly meeting him, stroking his, making every drop of blood rush southwards. Whatever had held them apart in the past, whatever had restrained their bodies before, was now gone. He wouldn't let go of her this time, he wouldn't stop. He couldn't. Seconds ago, he'd thought he'd lost her forever and now she was here, moaning in his arms, melting against him.

He would never let go again.

Dizzy with want, his hands roamed under the skirt of her dress, found that perfect behind of hers, and boosted her up. She instantly locked her legs around his hips, digging her fingers into his scalp as he carried her out of the room, up to stairs. Releasing his lips to breath, she leaned her head back, giving him a tantalizing view of her cleavage. Burning, he dipped his head down, seeing her nipples hardened under the silky material as he brushed his tongue over the swell over her breasts, licking her, tasting her. When he finally got to his bedroom, he maneuvered them far enough into the room that he was able to kick the door shut, then spun and pressed her back against the warm wood.

He pinned her to the door with his hips, grinding against her, moaning. She was wild in his arms, her hands tracing his back and shoulders, her lips devouring his. Holding her was like trying to harness a tornado. A hot, sensual, sweet tornado. There was nothing but obliterating sensation, thrilling and swelling, and the sound of fabric on fabric and skin on fabric as their limbs slid across each other in a restless, sensuous wrestling.

 _Christ_ , he had to be inside her. _Now_.

With steady fingers, he started working on his belt…until she broke their kiss and he noticed a new emotion swirling in her blue eyes; one he didn't like.

Fear.

 _You scared her, you fucking animal!_

Trying to slow down his breathing enough to speak, he moved his hand from his belt to her cheek, moaning when she leaned into his touch.

"If you want me to stop, I'll stop," he whispered, his voice rough. "But please, don't go. I need you."

She smiled as she brushed her little fingers over his jaw, stroking his skin with warmth in her gaze.

"I need you too," she whispered and he closed his eyes. God, he'd missed her voice. He'd thought he'd never hear it again.

Never _see_ her again.

Never _feel_ her again.

He rubbed his erection against her core, dying to be inside her, to be one…but when he opened his eyes again, her was met by that same touch of fear on her face.

 _Fuck. She really_ is _scared of something._

His entire body physically aching, he went against every instinct and moved to put her back down on the ground…but she stopped him, her hands cupping his neck, her legs tightening around his hips.

"Sweetheart," he groaned, feeling her warmth on his dick, seeping through his pants. "I can't control myself much longer. Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you, I promise. Whatever you want."

She moaned, her nails digging deeper into his neck. "I want you."

He growled, his hands on her thighs tightening. Christ, he'd dreamt of hearing her say those words so many fucking times…

"I'm here, baby," he rumbled. "I'm yours."

"So, you won't leave? No matter what?"

"Leave?!" He would've laughed, if he wasn't so focused on keeping his monster at bay; at stopping himself from ripping her panties clean off and fucking her mindless against the door… "Cara, the distance between us right now is already more than I can bear. Nothing in this world could tear me away from you right now. Noth-"

"I never slept with Alexander."

It took Hades' lust-filled brain a few seconds before he realized what she was saying.

"I'm still a virgin," she confirmed in a shaky voice.

Hades stood, frozen…and then, a roar of triumph filled his head. Maybe it even rumbled from his throat. He didn't give a fuck. Adrianna was still a virgin and even though that idea had made him push her away before, it now almost drove him past the point of civilized thought. She was his, his alone. Untouched, untasted, pure.

"Lucian?" she whispered, her hands dropping to his shoulders. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes," he growled, his entire being vibrating.

"And?"

"And-" His hands moved to her ass again, squeezing her soft cheeks. "Good."

He could feel her legs tremble around him in anticipation.

"But I'll have to adjust my plans."

"Plans?"

Hades smiled darkly before peeling her off the door and carrying her to his bed. If this was her first time, there was no way he was going to fuck her against a door. He had to take his time, stay in control. But how was he supposed to stay in control when each step he took pushed her warm centre closer against him.

Growling, he dragged her mouth to his, catching her lower lip between his teeth and tugging it gently. Her nails dug deeper into him as she moaned in his mouth, her heels digging harder into his butt.

She'd liked that.

His mind went blank of all but her taste, her scent, and a rising, pressing heat.

 _She's here. She's safe._

His monster kept chiming those words in his head, a softness to its roar that was new. And for the first time, he realized his monster loved her, too. She'd somehow tamed the beast.

His knees hit the bed and after one more long, savoring kiss, he gently laid her down on the mattress.

Rubbing the dark shadows on his jaw, he stared down at her, those blue eyes gazing up at him through impossibly long lashes with such want and trust his dick jerked against his fly.

Feeling overdressed, he shrugged off his jacket, his tie and then started to work on the buttons of his shirt. The second he dropped the fabric to the floor, she sat up straight, frowning. It was only when her tiny hand reached out and touched his heart, that he remembered he wasn't the only one who'd thought he'd lost someone tonight. She'd seen him get shot, she'd believed he'd died. And now, he was here, standing before her, not a mark on him. She clearly wanted an explanation and he would give it to here…but not right now. Right now, he had other things on his mind. So, instead, he just said one word that would tie her over until they could have a proper talk. One _name_.

"Rellix."

Her eyes widened, a little smile brushing her lips. And then, he continued to undress. His jeans went next. His shoes. His socks. And finally, his underwear.

Pulling down his boxers, his erection sprung free…and he couldn't help but grin arrogantly as he noticed her eyes drinking him in with a little twinge of panic in them. He knew what she was thinking. He was big and she was wondering if he would fit. He would. It would be a _tight_ fit, but she'd love it. And so would he.

"Your turn," he rumbled.

Slowly, he maneuvered her to the middle of the bed, placing feather-like kisses across her jaw, her chin, the corners of her mouth until she leaned back. He followed her down, nestling between her legs, pressing himself against her in a little preview of what was to come. Kissing her languidly, he pulled down the zipper at her side, brushing his fingertips over her skin on its way down. He could feel her tremble in response, her body squirming underneath his.

Groaning at the growing ache in his crotch, he stood up again, smiling at the little murmurs of protests that slipped from her lips…murmurs that turned into moans when he grabbed two handfuls of her red dress and slowly slipped it off her body, dropping it on the floor without a second glance. At that point, nothing could tear his eyes away from the gorgeous, half naked woman in front of him. The only thing left on her was a flimsy pair of red lace panties…but those would soon be removed as well.

"So beautiful," he breathed, kneeling down on the bed between her legs, drinking her in.

Her body was voluptuous in all the right places, her belly flat and muscled, her legs long and smooth. And those breasts. God, those breasts. Unable to stop himself, he leaned down, sucking one of her taut nipples into his mouth, feeling her fingers dig into his hair again, tugging as she arched of the bed.

"God, you taste good," he groaned before moving to her other nipple. As he sucked, he stripped the panties off her legs until she lay before him, completely bare.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

She blushed, licking her lips.

Fuck, what man could resist that sight?

Edging her thighs apart with his knee, he held her gaze, slowly crouching over her. Kissing her deeply, he put the tip of himself against her entrance, slowly pushing inside of her.

 _God, so tight._ He'd barely gotten the head of him inside of her, but he could already feel her muscles tightening, trying to stop him from going deeper.

"Relax, baby," he groaned, his voice raw. "It's just me."

Adrianna rubbed her forehead, her teeth finding her lip again. "I know, I know. I'm just a little nervous."

He smiled endearingly, even though his entire body was aching, begging him to thrust his hips and get inside of her, tight or not. But then he'd hurt her. Badly. He couldn't just rip through her virginity like some animal. She deserved better.

Grinding his teeth, he pulled his cock back, propping himself up on one arm beside her.

"No, don't go," she rushed, her face flushing. "Please, I'll be ready in a second. I'm sorry. I-"

"Sssshhhhhh," he breathed, running his fingertips over her smooth skin, down her neck, all the way to her peaking nipple.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, feeling her shudder. "And you don't have to apologize, Cara, Not here. There's no wrong or right."

"No?"

He smiled, kissing her soft shoulder. "No, baby. Trust me, I'll never consider anything you do in bed wrong. Besides, if anyone _should_ apologize, it's me. I want you so badly, I'm rushing things."

She touched his face, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "I want you too. I'm just…scared."

"Of me?" he growled, his heart dropping.

She grinned, like he'd just said the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. "No, not of you. Never of you."

"Than what is it that scares you?" He asked, relieved.

Her cheeks burned with heat. She was embarrassed…and God, it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"Tell me," he pushed, fighting the urge to lick that blush, to feel it beneath his lips.

"You're going to laugh."

 _Laugh?_

"Baby, trust me," he growled. "I'll never laugh at you."

She hesitated for another moment and then whispered in a rapid pace, "What if I'm not good at this? What if I can't please you? Or what if I can't do it _at all_? I've heard about woman who physically _can't have_ sex! What if I've waited too long and now-"

He caught her words in his mouth, slowly kissing her until he felt her disappearing into him. When he pulled back, she didn't immediately open her eyes, but she instead laid back, smiling drowsily.

Swallowing away the animalistic impulses pounding in his veins, he brought his lips to her ear, biting it softly before whispering, "Cara, believe me, your body was made for this, for me. You will be _more_ than able to do this. And please, don't ever think for a second that you can't please me. Just looking at you from across a fucking room makes me hard."

She turned her head sideways to look at him, her breath warming his lips. "But I have no experience-"

"I don't care."

"But you have been with other women-"

"None that I loved."

Her soft lips parted on a little gasp. "You love me?"

He sniffed, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Since the day you walked into my dark, empty existence and made it a life."

Tears gathered in her eyes. She believed him. He could see it. She knew he was telling the truth.

And then, her smile dropped and she suddenly sat up straight, her eyes wildly switching back and forth as she ran a hand through her hair.

He followed her up, his monster roaring. "Cara?"

She looked at him again, the tears now falling from her eyes down her soft cheeks. "This feels like a dream."

"And that makes you cry?"

"What if it is?" she croaked softly. "What if I died in that car and this is just some dream my dying brain is conjuring up?"

He grabbed her waist, pushing her closer to him, the urge to hold her overwhelming at her words. She wasn't dead. She was right there, in his arms. Warm and breathing.

"You didn't die," he growled, his words desperate. "You're here. You're safe."

She dropped her forehead to his shoulder, her fingers finding his hair again. "Or, what if I fell asleep in your bed and this is all happening in my head? What if you died? What if no one saved you? What if I wake up and you're not here? What if-"

"I didn't die," he said, kissing the top of her head. "I'm here. I'm alive. And I love you."

She cupped his cheeks, her eyes still unsure. "Promise me. Promise me this is real."

"I'll do one better," he rumbled, moving her to lie back down. "I'll show you."

She frowned…and then cried out as he cupped her between her legs. Instinctively, she pressed her thighs together tightly, trapping his hand against her heat.

"No, no," he whispered, marveling in the way her face was distorting in pleasure. "Open your legs for me, Adrianna."

She let her knees sag open a little and then gasped when he spread her feet wider apart with one of his own.

"Do you really think your mind could dream this up?" he asked, his voice rough as his fingers traced her wet folds. "That tightening feeling in your belly? That throbbing desire that's coursing through your body right now? Do you really think you could imagine a sensation like this?"

"No," she moaned, gripping the pillow above her head. "God, no."

"Exactly, so you better believe this is real, baby. And you better believe it right now, because I want you to experience this fully aware of what's happening. I want you to remember every moment of it."

She threw her head back, biting her lip so hard he feared she would break the skin. Growling, he kissed her again, suckling that bottom lip into his mouth, dragging his tongue over it soothingly. He didn't want her to hurt any more than was necessary.

His tongue finding hers, he waited until he felt her drowning in him again…and then slowly inserted a finger inside her.

She whimpered into his mouth, her body tensing, making the muscles inside her tighten around his digit even more.

"God, you're so tight, Cara. I'm going to try to loosen you up a little bit, baby."

She just nodded, the pillow she was still clutching close to ripping from the assault of her fingers.

Fighting the impulse to thrust his hips into the mattress, he slipped in a second finger, his animal roaring at the heat.

 _Just a little longer_.

Slowly, he started stroking her inner walls, trying to get her used to having something inside of her. And it didn't take long before he felt her getting wet. With pride, he watched her go from tense and unsure, to relaxed and squirming; trying to find a release, but not knowing how to. He could feel the tension sharpening inside of her and when he used his thumb to stroke her clit, she almost flew off the bed, screaming.

"I gather you like this?"

"Yes," she moaned. "Lucian, please, I'm ready. Please, make love to me."

Even a god has his limits.

Kissing her deeply, he slipped his fingers out of her and shifted his position so he was back on top of her, putting his weight on his elbows beside her head.

"I'll be very gentle, all right?"

She nodded, still breathless.

"Wrap your legs around me."

She obeyed without a moment's hesitation. He could feel her shudder when his thick shaft nudged her, her warmth making a drop of pre-cum glisten on his head.

"If you want me to stop, stop me now," he groaned. "Once I'm inside you, I'll be lost."

"I don't want you to stop," she breathed. "Please."

Fuck, if she kept begging like that, he wouldn't last long.

Dropping his forehead to hers, he held her eyes…and then slowly pushed into her, stretching her tight until he bumped into her hymen. Feeling beads of sweat dotting his brow, he kept himself still. A voice inside once again told him he was about to take something he could never give back…but he didn't care anymore. It was _his_ to take. _She_ was his to take.

"Are you alright?" she asked, sweetly.

"Hard…to control," he grated out through clenched teeth.

"What is hard to—ack!" She stiffened as he pushed through her barrier.

He shouted too, burying his face in the pillow beside her head.

 _Hot. Slick. Soft._

Fuck, no fantasy had ever come close to the reality of being inside Adrianna. It felt so perfect, so right. He lifted his gaze to make sure she was really there. Nothing real could possibly feel this good, this perfect, this…painful. His heart dropping, he noticed that little crinkle between her brows, the way her teeth were biting down harder on her lip.

He was hurting her.

"Christ," he grunted. "I'm sorry."

He started to move out of her…but she cradled his hips tighter between her thighs. A small smile flitted over his lips as she shook her head in protest, her dark hair, smelling of water and her, brushing his shoulder with the gesture.

"I'm okay," she whispered, her tiny hands dropping to his forearms.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she breathed. "Please, I want you to stay inside me. Safe. Please."

His hands clutched the mattress on either side of her head, almost ripping through the damned thing.

"God, I need to move, baby," he said, his voice tight.

He didn't wait for permission.

He couldn't.

Groaning, he eased his hips back, closed his eyes and thrust into her again. She cried out, her nails digging deeper into his arms. He wanted to ask her again if he should stop…but she was too warm, too perfect.

"Fuck," he breathed, his voice raw. "More?"

"Yes," she whispered, her heels sliding down his calves, making her feel even tighter around him.

Growling, he pulled out almost completely and then slid back into her, cursing. God, this was heaven and hell at the same time. Being inside her was unlike anything he'd ever felt before, but it took all of his strength to keep control of his body; a body that wanted nothing more than to fuck her until she couldn't remember her own name.

"Again?" he croaked.

"Yes."

He frowned, his lips twitching. There was no more pain in her voice and this time, her answer had come quickly, eagerly. Like a plea.

He moved again, but he didn't stop like before. He moved slowly, in and out of her, his lips never releasing hers, kissing her, trying to express without words how he felt; how she _made him_ feel.

And then, her hips started meeting his, her body no longer undergoing, but participating. Wholeheartedly. Her hands went from clutching his arms to roaming down his back as he continued to move inside her; her warm breath brushing his chest, the most delicious sounds ringing in his ear.

God, this felt nothing like making love to her in his dreams. This was-

"Perfect."

He didn't even realize he'd spoken the word out loud until she whispered "yes" and kissed him.

With each languorous thrust, with each moan slipping from her lips, he could feel her silken heat driving him to the brink. He managed to stave off his own satisfaction only by focusing every ounce of his thoughts on her. _Her_ needs. _Her_ wants.

Ignoring the heady scent of floral fragrance and warm woman, Hades concentrated on finding just the right touch that would please her and yet, not hurt her.

But it wasn't enough for her.

She dug her heels into his back, demanding more. Demanding hard, fast and dirty. There was no way she could know already that she liked it that way, like _he_ knew. After all, this was her first experience; or at least the first real one, the first one she remembered. And yet, her body seemed to know what she wanted, what she needed. It was almost as if, even though her mind didn't remember him from her dreams, her _body_ did.

But he couldn't do her hard. Not tonight. She was still too tight, too new. She needed to get used to making love before he fucked her.

Adrianna seemed to disagree, though…and if she kept writhing against him the way she was, there wouldn't be much more lovemaking to be had.

Grinding his teeth, he stilled between her legs, trying to think of anything but how good she felt and how fucking amazing it would be to unload inside of her.

"What are you doing?" she groaned. "Please, don't stop. Move."

"No."

She arched and stretched beneath him, sending him deeper inside her.

"I said _no_ ," He growled, pinning her down harder on the bed with his hips as he caught her wrists in one hand, stretching her arms up over her head. She had her eyes squeezed tight, and he leaned in to brush his mouth over her lids.

Her blue eyes opened, confused. "It doesn't hurt anymore. I promise. Move. Please."

With a frustrated cry, he dropped his forehead to hers, heat gathering in his lower back.

Christ, he was too close. He wasn't ready to come yet.

His balls tightened and he clenched his teeth against the urge to pound into her and finish. He'd waited too damn long for this to lose all control now and have it be over in mere minutes. Not to mention that he didn't want her first time to be over that quick. She might think that's how it would always be between them. He wouldn't let that happen. He'd be damned before he disappointed her.

"Please," she gasped. "It feels so good. _You_ feel so good."

Her trapped fingers flexed as if she wanted to touch him, run her digits through his hair, dig her nails into his shoulders. He shuddered at the mental image, but didn't release her.

Next time.

This time, the first time, he _had_ to be gentle, he _had_ to make this last and that would only happen if _he_ called the shots.

Curling his hips the tinniest bit, he found her ear with his teeth. "Stay still, Adrianna. Stay still or I'm going to come and this will be over."

He could feel her continue to fight his grip, a tortured smile flitting over his lips. "Stubborn."

He reached between them and found her clit, gave it a teasing rub and watched her eyes roll back in her head. She whimpered when he withdrew the pressure again, a sound that almost make him come on the spot despite his best efforts.

"Still."

She listened this time, shaking her head.

"Talk to me," he growled, trying to distract himself. "Tell me how you feel."

She huffed, biting her lip. "I don't know. I can't even think straight."

"Try."

She swallowed hard. "I feel…full. Whole. Like I've been waiting for this without even knowing it."

He moaned, his grip on her wrists tightening. Nope. Wrong question. This did nothing to distract him from coming.

"And every muscle in my body is contracting," she whimpered, squirming beneath him again. "And every cell is vibrating, racing towards something it desperately craves."

His dick swelled inside of her. She was feeling exactly what he was feeling. Sweet fucking torture.

"That's your body trying to orgasm," he growled. "Trying to find release."

"So, give it to me," she begged, her knees falling open wider, making him slip in deeper. "Please."

"Adrianna, baby-"

She cut him off with a kiss, catching his lower lip…and biting it.

And just like that…he came undone, that bite tipping him over the precipice.

"Fine," he growled, releasing her wrists. "You asked for it."

Letting go, he curled his arms underneath her, pressed his chest to hers and grabbed her shoulders, keeping her where she was as he hammered into her, forgetting about everything but the chaotic sensations coursing through him. She lifted her hips to meet each plunge, her breasts bouncing as he lost himself in her. The bed springs creaked, the headboard banging against the wall until Adrianna grabbed the iron bars to steady herself.

"Gawd," she moaned, her legs stiffening.

A primal satisfaction short-circuited his brain as he felt her body getting closer and closer to release.

"Who's inside you, Cara?" he growled. "Tell me who's fucking you. Tell me who's making you come."

"You!"

"My name!"

"Lucian!" she cried, heavy-lidded eyes staring up at him.

"Yes, that's right, baby, _"_ he grunted out possessively, the length and level of his arousal brutal as he pumped into her faster, deeper. "You are _mine. Only_ mine _._ Say it! Say who you belong to!"

"Lucian!"

"Say it again! Louder!"

"Lucian!"

"Yes! Again, baby! Keep saying my name! I want it on those lips when you come!"

Oh, it was on her lips alright. She ignited a second later, screaming his name when he hit her deeper than he ever had. It was all he needed. He pumped his hips once, twice more, then found his own release in hard jets that left him shaking.

Hades collapsed forward, catching himself on his hands on either side of her head. She was breathing heavily beneath him, her hand pressed over her heart, her eyes closed. As he balanced himself over her, watching her, his sense slowly returned.

 _So much for staying in fucking control…_

"How badly did I hurt you?" he growled, hating himself…until her eyes opened and that beautiful smile curled her lips.

"You didn't hurt me," she sang, her voice still raw. "God, I didn't think anything could feel better than being a cop, but this-"

He laughed as she trailed off; and slowly pulled out of her. He didn't miss the way her spine stiffened for just a moment when he exited her, though.

 _I didn't hurt her, my ass,_ he thought, laying down beside her.

He didn't call her out on it, though. Not yet. Instead, he curled an arm around her and rolled her over until he had her cradled against his side; her head resting in the hollow where his shoulder met his neck, her hand on his chest, her leg swung over his.

"Lucian?" she whispered.

Her voice was already sleepy and he wasn't surprised. She'd been through a lot tonight. Probably more than he knew. This wasn't the right time to ask her what had happened to her, though. What had happened in that car. He didn't want to ruin this moment.

"Yes, baby?"

"Say it again."

He smiled, combing his fingers through her hair. "I love you."

He could feel her hold him closer, her voice soft when she whispered, "I love you, too."

He stopped breathing for just a moment, his heart expanding. He'd heard her say those words before, once, in their dream. But hearing her say it here, in this world-after she'd seen the monster he was-was something else entirely. Something deeper. Something more. She'd accepted him into her life, into her heart, into her body, despite his nature. And if he hadn't heard her breathing slow right then, telling him she'd fallen asleep, he would've shown her exactly how deep her words had touched him.

But for now, he would just hold her as she slept, something he'd never been able to do before. Their dreams had always ended abruptly with one of them waking up. They'd never fallen asleep together; she'd never drifted off in his arms. And it was yet another thing many humans took for granted.

Burying his nose in her hair, Hades closed his eyes and marveled in her scent, until he drifted into oblivion after her, feeling whole for the first time in forever.

* * *

 **Sorry it took so long (again)! Working two jobs and trying to keep up a resemblance of a social life is making it hard to write quickly! Plus, I'm a perfectionist, so I refuse to deliver half-finished chapters! This one did take a _ridiculously_ long time though and I apologize! I'll try to be better ;-)! That being said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter/short novel :-D! It was a hard one to write! So many emotions... Please, leave me a review so I know whether or not you liked it! After all, I write for you guys, so if you have any tips or guesses/wishes about where the story is going, let me know ;-)! **

**X LustAndLove**


	10. Chapter 9

_I don't know how it is you are so familiar to me-or_

 _why it feels less like I am getting to know you and_

 _more as though I am remembering who you are. How_

 _every smile, every whisper brings me closer to the_

 _impossible conclusion that I have known you before, I_

 _have loved you before-in another time, a different_

 _place-some other existence._

Adrianna had read that poem-Soul Mates by Lang Leav- _once_ , in a book that she'd found in Maggie's shop. She'd barely registered the words at the time and yet, that poem was all she could think about now, as she sat in the armchair by the foot of Lucian's bed, watching him sleep. He looked so beautiful, so peaceful, but most of all, he looked _so_ familiar. The moment she'd woken up, this overwhelming sense of déjà-vu had overtaken her. Lying in his arms had felt like the most natural thing in the world. And the truth was, she'd _always_ felt like that around Lucian. From the moment they'd met, he'd fit into her life as if she'd been holding a spot for him there, as if she'd been expecting him somehow.

Adrianna had never believed in Soul Mates, or at least not in _her_ Soul Mate. Her parents had clearly been made for each other, but a love like that was rare and since she'd never felt anything even close to real, romantic love in her twenty-four years of existence, she'd just figured that it wasn't in the cards for her. And she'd been fine with that. She'd always though there was no need-no room even-for someone else in her life. Besides, trusting some stranger enough to let him in her world, in her heart, even in her body had seemed like an unnecessary risk in a world that was already full enough of risks.

And then, Lucian had come along and before she'd known it, she'd been a goner. It hadn't been a conscious decision to fall in love with him. She couldn't even pinpoint the exact moment it had happened. It were more like a bunch of little moments that added up. Like that time she'd taken him to the beach and watched him close his eyes at the touch of the sun on his face. Or the first time he'd smiled and she'd caught herself thinking it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Or all the late nights doing research on Rodchenko, running on caffeine and fumes, and finding herself enjoying his presence even in complete silence. Each of those moments had chipped away at her heart, bit by tiny bit, until he'd held the whole damn thing in his hands. Or maybe, just maybe, she'd loved him since the moment his eyes had touched hers in Maggie's shop. No reason, no explanation. She'd just…loved him. She'd spent her entire life being so careful not to jeopardize her future, to make sure she wouldn't have a single moment of doubt about her decision to become Immortal when the time came; and now—just a few months before her twenty-fifth birthday—she'd gone and messed everything up. And the strangest thing was, she didn't even mind. She was _in love_ …

...and she wouldn't give him up for anything in the world.

Smiling, she watched him turn in his sleep, rolling onto his back. After everything they'd been through, they were finally together and it felt _so_ surreal. She still feared she would wake up at any moment and discover it had all been a dream; and it didn't help that Lucian _looked_ like a dream too. The silver moonlight trickling in through the cracks in the curtains fell across his sculpted jaw, making him glow; his raven hair was an adorable mess that no stylist could've perfected and then there were those abs. God…those abs. She hadn't even known an eight pack existed until Lucian had come along. A sheet covered the rest of him…but only barely. The white material had slipped down his abdomen, down the stark V-shaped muscles that led to that newly discovered part of him, stopping just short of revealing anything.

Blushing, she remembered those rough hands of his undressing her, his soft lips suckling on her breasts, his skillful fingers stroking her where no man had ever stroked her before…and finally, she remembered having him inside of her. Maggie had always warned her not to expect too much from her first time, that she wouldn't enjoy it until her fourth or fifth experience…but her friend had been proven wrong. Last night had been everything she'd ever wanted it to be. Lucian had been gentle, sweet and just all-together perfect. She'd been a little self-conscious at first, unsure, but he'd made her feel so loved, so wanted, so desired that she'd forgotten all about her insecurities. She'd let go.

And so had he.

Blushing even deeper, she remembered how she'd made him lose control. He'd gone slowly at first, for her, and she'd been grateful for it. It had felt uncomfortable when he'd first entered her, unnatural. She'd felt full and stiff; and it hadn't been a pleasant feeling. But then, her body had adjusted to him and it had turned _very_ pleasant. She wasn't sure _what_ had made the change exactly, but suddenly, the friction inside of her had gone from painful to electric and she'd found herself wanting more, harder, deeper. She'd wanted him to possess her, to take everything. She wasn't even sure what she had to give, but whatever it was, it was his. And he'd felt the same. Gentle had turned to rough and hard and she'd welcomed it. She'd never thought she'd be that girl…but she was. She _undeniably_ was. And now, she was hooked; to his touch, to his kiss, to that connection when he was inside of her… She couldn't help it. He was just so sweet and dominant…and _hers_.

Grinning, she bit her lip, softly shaking her head. She'd always thought she was a happy person, but right there, in that moment, she realized she'd had no idea what true happiness felt like. It was warm and overwhelming and everything they wrote those stupid love songs about, the ones she used to hate. She understood them now, every single sappy word, because tonight, she was finally, truly happy…

…even though she'd just killed four people.

Her stomach twisting, her mind went back to that car, to the moment something inside her had broken…or woken up. It shouldn't have come as such a surprise that there'd been a monster slumbering within her. After all, her entire family was made up of demons. They used their darkness for good, sure, but it was still darkness and hers had been woken at the worst possible time; a time of grief, hopelessness and _so_ much rage…There had been no controlling it, no chance to use it for good. It had been pure, undiluted blackness, undiluted _hate_.

Her eyes drifted to her hands, hands that were now trembling on her bare thighs. They were healed, thanks to her Salvatore genes-most of her wounds were- but the skin on her knuckles was still a lighter shade of pink.

Because they'd been torn open only hours ago.

Because she'd beaten a man to death with them.

Memories hit her from all sides, memories of slamming her fists into his face over and over again; feeling bones crack; hearing muscles snap, watching as a man's features became nothing more than blood and torn skin. She'd always believed herself to be this strong, powerful woman who could deal with anything that crossed her path, who could handle any situation…and then, she'd thought she'd lost Lucian and everything had changed.

 _She_ had changed.

She'd become a monster…and then a coward. She could lie to herself and say she'd known she'd survive the crash, being a Salvatore and all…but she hadn't. When she'd shot that woman through the head while she was still driving the car, she'd _expected_ to die. She'd _wanted_ to die. She hadn't been able to handle the pain of losing him, hadn't been willing to live without him for the rest of her life…so she'd given up. It had been the most stupid thing she'd ever done; the most _selfish_ thing, too. If that crash had actually killed her, it would've destroyed her mom and dad, her brothers, her aunt and uncles…and her Lucian. If she'd died, he would've gone through what _she'd_ gone through when she'd thought he was dead. He would've felt that crippling pain, that hopelessness, that never-ending darkness…and no one deserved to feel that way. Ever. By some miracle, she'd survived and he had no idea how close she'd come to actually dying. She wanted to keep it that way. There was no need for him to worry.

 _So, you're not going to tell him what happened to protect him from worrying?_ A little voice inside her mocked. _Or do you want to protect_ yourself _from losing him? You know what would happen if you told him the truth, don't you? If you told him what you did? He'd never look at you the same way again._

Needing air, she got out of the chair, letting out a little whimper as she stretched. Something felt…wrong. Frowning, Adrianna tiptoed to the full length mirror beside the bed, turning to see what had caused the ache. She wasn't sure why she was surprised to see the bruises on her back. She should've known that that part of her body was going to take the longest to heal. It was the part that had taken the biggest beating when that car had crashed; hitting the windshield; slamming into the river… Even with her Salvatore genes, wounds like that weren't magically fixed overnight.

Grabbing Lucian's discarded shirt of the floor, she slipped onto the balcony, sighing softly when the cool night air hit her. The world seemed so peaceful tonight, so quiet and safe. It was hard to believe that only hours ago, that same world had come crashing down around her.

 _Don't think about that. He's safe. Everything's alright._

 _Except someone tried to kill you. Tried to kill Lucian._

Rubbing her neck, she took a shot at figuring out who had come after her tonight, but at that point, it could've been anyone. A Forsaken, someone she'd put in jail and who wanted revenge, someone her family had pissed off,...The truth was that the list was getting too long to anticipate anything, so going in the offense was no longer a realistic course of action. She couldn't go after all of them at the same time. All she could do now was be prepared for whoever came after her first. The only problem was that she wasn't the only one in the line of fire anymore. Lucian was in danger too…because of her. Last night was proof of that. The smart thing would be to get dressed and leave, push Lucian away to keep him safe...but they'd both tried that before and look how that had turned out. With her on his balcony, wearing nothing but his shirt. So, if their past had taught her anything, it's that they always found their way back to each other. It was better to just accept that and make it work than continue to fight it. Besides, she didn't _want_ to fight it, she didn't want to push him away. She couldn't. Lucian was a part of her now and she'd do anything to keep him.

* * *

Hades wasn't sure what had woken him. Maybe it had been the moonlight stabbing his eyelids or the cold breeze coming from the open French doors...but whatever the cause, he was grateful. He wouldn't have wanted to miss this for anything in the world.

Leaning back against the wall, he took in the vision before him, his chest tight. Adrianna had found her way to his balcony and was looking up at the sky, the moon casting a silver glow on her that made his heart stop. Her hair was loose and trickling down her back like a waterfall, a soft breeze playing with her curls. She was wearing nothing but his shirt, leaving her long legs bare and instantly, his mind went back to when those legs had been wrapped around him.

Suppressing a growl, his mind flooded with memories of making love to Adrianna. After millennia of craving for a girl he'd seen in a vision _once_ ; after years of having her in his dreams, he'd finally _truly_ been with her. And it had been the single greatest night of his existence. Their dreams had been mind-boggling, yes, but this… _this_ had been something else, something so pure and beautiful he'd actually felt his darkness fade. For the first time in forever, he'd felt like a good man, a deserving man, making love to his woman.

Another breeze blew through the night, this time colder. A storm was coming. Hades could smell the rain in the air and apparently, so could his girl. Wrapping her arms around herself, she decided to head back inside and turned around…only to freeze the second her eyes touched his.

For the longest time, they just stood there without saying a word. They didn't have to speak. He could see what she was thinking in those two blue planets that orbited his entire world.

How incredible this was.

How unreal.

And she didn't even know half of it. She had no idea how long he'd been dreaming about this, how long he'd waited for her. Thousands of years spend alone, wondering, aching…and in all that time, he'd never dared to even _imagine_ he could actually have her, be with her, wake up and touch her. But here she was, looking more beautiful than she'd ever looked.

Her cheeks turned pink under his relentless gaze and then, those beautiful lips of hers curled in that signature warm smile. God, what had he ever done to deserve that smile? Nothing…and yet, he smiled back. How could he not? For the first time in his miserable existence, he felt…happy.

And then, Adrianna closed the distance between them.

Her small hands reached him first, touching his bare chest, making his heart beat faster. He barely had time to notice the way her eyes had dropped to that heart, turning her blue gaze a touch sadder before her lips, heavenly soft, pushed into his and he disappeared into a moment of heady oblivion. Now, Hades loved their hot and desperate kisses, but the kiss they shared then probably trumped them all. It was such a loving, almost tentative kiss…as if she feared, just like him, that this was all too good to be true and that he would disappear at any moment.

But he didn't disappear.

And neither did she.

They stayed right there, drowning, _aching_. Adrianna's arms were wrapped around his neck, her whole body pressed up against his as she suckled his lips slowly, tracing the swell of them with her tongue, a tongue that never slipped inside his mouth and yet somehow drove him crazy. Fuck, that woman could kiss! Just the touch of those lips almost made him come in his fucking boxers. They couldn't have slept for more than two hours, gathering from the still pitch-black night, and yet, it felt like he hadn't seen her in ages, felt her in ages, _had her_ in ages.

When Adrianna broke their kiss to breath, he hoped that fire inside him would lessen…but it didn't. If anything, it got worse. Her face was flushed, her lips wet and strands of dark hair had fallen into her eyes. How could he possibly not want her?!

He held her tightly to him for another moment, two. Then he reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, feeling her lean into his touch.

"God-" he sighed, softly shaking his head. "-I love you."

She smiled, her hand brushing over his dark stubble as she whispered back, "I love you, too."

His hands tightened on her hips. He realized she'd said it last night too, but hearing her declare her love for him still took him aback. No one had _ever_ loved him. Not his parents, not his brothers, not _anyone_. They all saw him as this evil, twisted thing that enjoyed spending its time in the darkness, amongst the dead. They shunned him, whispered horrible things behind his back. At first, he'd ignored it; he'd tried to hold on to the good in him…but after a few centuries of being treated like a monster, he'd become one. Why not? If they had no love in their hearts for him, no compassion, why should he have any for them? Or for _anyone_ for that matter? He'd become the cruel creature they'd believed he was, disappearing in the darkness, shutting himself off from the world…and then, _she_ had appeared. A vision at first, then a possibility when he'd met Elena and then, a reality he'd never thought to be possible. How could a beautiful, smart, brave woman like her love something like him?

His hand moved from her hair to her cheek, brushing his thumb over her lips, lips that curled under his touch. "This feels-"

"-surreal?" she finished for him. "I know. I mean, a few hours ago, I thought-

She cut herself off, her fingertips brushing over his chest, over the spot where three bullets had bore their way into his heart.

"Hey," he rumbled when her blue eyes started shimmering with tears. "Don't cry, baby. I'm okay."

"I thought I lost you."

"I know." He kissed her forehead, placing his hand over hers on his chest. "But I'm here, Cara. And I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled up at him, but there was still a trace of worry in those gorgeous eyes of hers.

"There's something else, isn't there?"

She swallowed hard, letting out a little sigh. "You said Rellix saved you?"

He nodded, making her rub her neck.

"Talk to me."

"It's nothing, I just…Did you make a deal with him?" Before Hades could answer, she added, "I don't care if you did. Honestly, however he saved you, however you're here right now, it doesn't matter. Hell, I would've made a deal with him myself to bring you back if I'd had the chance. I just need to know so we can prepare for whatever he asked in return and-"

"I didn't make a deal," Hades cut her off, smiling comfortingly. "Even if I'd wanted too, I was in no condition. I was already unconscious when he found me."

"So, he just…saved you?"

"Yes."

She frowned. "That doesn't sound like Rellix. He doesn't just do stuff out of the goodness of his heart. He always wants something in return."

"Well, there was one thing."

"See," she sighed. "What did he ask?"

"He asked me to tell you what he'd done. He asked me to make sure you knew he'd saved me."

Her eyebrows almost disappeared in her hair. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

She just shot him a questioning look.

"He wanted to make up for earlier that night. He doesn't want Her Highness to be mad at him."

That blush crawled back in her cheeks. "Don't call me that. I'm not royalty."

"Of course you are-" Hades rumbled teasingly. "-Princess."

Her blush trickled down her neck. "Stop it."

Hades grinned as he bowed, keeping his eyes on hers. "As you wish."

He could see a fire igniting in her, annoyance making her gaze flash. "Stop it, Nox."

"Oh, come on," he growled, straightening up and slowly closing the distance between them again. "Don't you want me to worship you?"

The fire in her eyes turned into an inferno, slowly drawing him in, enticing him…until all he could think about was kissing those plumb, luscious lips.

"I get it now," she whispered, her hands on his chest again,

"Get what?" he rumbled, his voice rougher as her fingers made his skin burn.

"When I was in high school, I saw these girls lose their minds over boys, losing their virginities to these jocks and then regretting it, but claiming they just couldn't help themselves-"

"You regret it?"

"No. God, no," she rushed, making his heart return to its normal pace. Or as normal as its pace could be when Adrianna looked at him with that heat shimmering in her eyes. Fuck, if he didn't get this situation in his boxers under control, he was seriously going to embarrass himself…

"I just mean that I get now that they couldn't help themselves," she breathed, making it even harder for him to calm his body the fuck down. "I used to think that it was a ridiculous excuse, that you _always_ have control over your own body…but when you touch me…I get it."

Hades tried. He _really_ tried to control himself, keeping his hands by his thighs, balling them in fists, fighting his body…until he realized, he didn't _have_ to do that anymore.

She was his.

In one swift move, he grabbed the back of her neck and the hem of her shirt, pulling her flush against him before his lips took hers again, this time claiming her like his monster wanted him to. Hard, deep. He drove his tongue between her wet lips, setting off a shattering moan that was music to his ears. She was quite an instrument to play, so finely tuned, and he knew that if he touched her right, she would make the most glorious sounds — raw, intense, absolutely delicious sounds of pleasure. She grabbed his hair, yanked and pulled him close, begging him wordlessly for more.

Groaning, his hands dropped to that delicious butt of hers, grabbing it roughly and lifting her up. She wrapped her slim legs around him at once, whimpering in his mouth when she rubbed up against the part of him that _throbbed_.

In wide strides, he carried her back inside his bedroom, sitting down on the edge of the mattress, taking her with him. He cursed in her mouth when her heels hooked behind his back, straddling him so tight he could feel her warmth though his boxers.

 _No underwear,_ his monster growled, clawing to take control, to take _her_. _"You could slip right inside of her! Do it! Do it now!_

And he wanted to. _God_ , he wanted to. He was so hard it actually fucking hurt. Adrianna had no mercy though, keeping him occupied with that tongue of hers as she tightened her hold on his neck, pulling herself even closer to his body, her hard nipples poking through her shirt. She felt so soft, so warm. Every curve she had clicked into his hard edges, as if she was made just for him. No, not _as if._ She _was_ made for him. She was his Mate, his Other Half, his One; all those things he'd never believed in.

And he'd never been so happy to be proven wrong.

She broke their kiss to breath and before he could stop himself, he'd grabbed her shirt with both hands and torn the thing open, buttons flying everywhere. He could hear her gasp, but it only spurred him on and before she could take another breath, he'd sucked one of her rosy nipples in his mouth, flicking it with his tongue, tasting her.

"Oh, God, Lucian!"

He growled with pride as she cried out his name, letting his teeth join in as he softly bit down on the little peak. She screamed, but he knew it was a good scream. He knew his girl liked a little sting. Not to mention he could _feel_ her grow wetter.

Licking a path up her chest, her neck, her jaw, he kissed her deeply for a long minute before heading for that sweet spot behind her ear, that spot that made her squirm…and then, he caught their reflection in the full-length mirror behind her and he froze.

Adrianna's fingers were buried in his hair, gently pulling as if to spur him back into action. But Hades couldn't tear his eyes away from the mirror, a mirror that was reflecting him and his girl. Seeing her straddle him was an incredibly erotic sight that would've turned him on even more…if it hadn't been for the fact that the glass also reflected her back. When he'd ripped her shirt, the material had slipped down her shoulders a bit, exposing the skin at the base of her neck…skin that was almost completely blue.

Hating himself, he remembered making love to her, being gentle…but then, he'd lost control. She'd been too soft, too warm, too perfect.

And he'd obviously been too rough.

Had he been so driven by lust that he'd bruised her, _hurt_ her without noticing?

Picking up on his change in mood, Adrianna pulled back, watching him with worried eyes.

"Did I do something wrong?" she blurted out, blushing again. "I mean, I'm not used to this and last night was only my first try, so if I'm doing something wrong, please, just tell me and-"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Cara," he cut her off, a touch of anger in his voice. "Don't think that. Ever. You were-" he trailed off, unable to put making love to her into words. There were no words for something so divine.

"Then what is it? Don't you want me?"

He let out something that started as a laugh, but it turned into a tortured groan when she cupped his cheek sweetly. How could she still look at him like that after what he'd done? How could she still touch him with so much love?

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Her eyebrows pulled together. "Tell you what?"

"That I hurt you."

"Hurt me?"

"When we were making love."

She rolled her eyes. Rolled her eyes! As if it was no big deal!

"You didn't hurt me, sweetheart," she said, smiling. "I mean, you had to hurt me _a little_ , but that's what happens when you take someone's virginity. It was only a pinch and afterwards-"

"I'm not talking about that," he cut her off. "I'm talking about _this_."

Gently, he grabbed her chin and turned her head sideways until she could see over her shoulder. The second she saw the bruise, her eyes dropped and she quickly grabbed the shirt, pulling it back up to cover her injury. "That's nothing. It's just a little bruise."

"That's not _a little bruise_ , Cara. Why didn't you stop me?"

"Stop you?"

"I swear to you, I had no idea I was being that rough. I'm so sor-"

Adrianna's hand covered his lips, trapping the rest of his apology in his mouth as she shook her head.

"Sweetheart, you didn't do that. You would _never_ do that."

For a short second, a weigh lifted off his shoulder…until he realized she was still bruised and if _he_ hadn't done it, then who had?

Somehow, she must've seen the question in his eyes, because before he could ask, she whispered, "They're injuries from after-" she trailed off, her palm pressing down over his heart again.

God, he was such a fucking asshole. How had he not noticed she was hurt when he'd undressed her? Maybe he'd been so desperate to be inside her that he hadn't seen clearly. Whatever the reason, he'd missed it. He'd missed it and he'd gone on to ravage her. She'd been injured, probably in pain, even before he'd ripped through her virginity…and he'd been completely unaware.

 _Fucking brute_ , he scolded himself, his muscles rippling in anger.

"Lucian, calm down," she smiled, her hands running up and down his arms comfortingly. "I'm fine, I promise. They don't hurt."

" _They_?!"

Her eyes widened a little, but before she could correct her slip-up, Hades grabbed the shirt and pushed it over her shoulders until the material dropped around her hips…and her entire back was visible in the mirror.

"Lucian, sweetheart," she tried to sooth as Hades glared at the reflection, a reflection that clearly showed a multitude of black blotches scattered across her back. "I'm fine."

"Stop saying that!" he gnarled. "Cara, I'm sorry-"

"Don't. Don't apologize," she sighed, pulling the shirt back up so her wounds were hidden from his sight. "I really _am_ fine. I didn't even know those bruises were there until I saw them in the mirror earlier."

"Still, you're hurt and I just-"

"-gave me the most amazing night of my life?"

His monster grinned with pride even though Lucian's expression stayed grim.

"Better than amazing, in fact," she continued, hooking her arms behind his neck as she leaned in slowly. "There are really no words to describe it. But I could show you."

Their breath mingled, her soft lips brushing against his as her hips-

"Stop."

Adrianna didn't listen, her soft lips moving to his jaw, kissing a path up and down his five o'clock shadow as her hands slipped back into his hair. He wanted to give in to her so bad, to forget, to get lost…but she was hurt. Even though she didn't act like it.

"Cara, you have to heal."

"I'm fine."

He growled, grabbing her shoulders and gently pushing her back until those warm lips were no longer touching him. He couldn't think when those lips touched him. He could barely breathe.

"You're not fine," he said in the strongest voice he could muster up. "You're hurt."

She rolled her eyes again.

"Don't brush this off like it's nothing, Salvatore."

"I _know_ it's not nothing, but you keep forgetting I'm not like most humans, Lucian. I heal quickly, my pain tolerance is way higher…and I barely need any sleep." She'd shot him a teasing look when she'd said the latter, but he wasn't in the mood. Well, he _was_ …but he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. She needed to heal before anything else happened.

"I'm putting my foot down on this, Cara."

Her lips twitched. "You're _putting your foot down_?"

"Your body needs time to recover from whatever it is that happened to you."

This time, it was Adrianna's expression that turned dark. He didn't like it. He didn't like the flash of pain in her eyes. The flash of fear.

"Cara?" he whispered, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Baby, what exactly _did_ happened?"

She shrugged, attempting a smile, but not succeeding. "They took me. I escaped. End of story."

"That's it?"

She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but then closed it again, nodding.

He wanted to ask her _how_ she'd escaped, how she'd gotten those injuries, who could've been behind this…but something stopped him. Now wasn't the right time to ask. She'd clearly been traumatized by the whole thing and was reluctant to talk about it, so he would give her some time. But he'd need answers _soon_ , if only to calm his mind. As long as he didn't know what had happened, as long as she didn't tell him, he'd fill in the blanks himself and he had a dark, vivid imagination.

"Let's have a bath."

Adrianna relaxed in his arms again, clearly relieved he wasn't going to push the matter.

"A bath sounds great. Although, we should probably work up a sweat before-" she laughed when he rose from the bed, taking her with him.

His hands clasping down on her firm behind, he tried to hold on to his sanity as she moved her hips against him, tightened her legs around him, her lips finding his neck.

 _Fuck_.

* * *

Adrianna knew it wasn't nice to tease a man who was only trying to do right, just like she knew it wasn't nice to dig her nails into his back and feather his neck and shoulders with kisses all the way to his bathroom…but that didn't stop her from doing exactly that. He just looked _too_ yummy.

With a loud bang, Lucian kicked open the door to his ensuite bathroom. He put her down before he slammed the door shut again so roughly the mirror above the sink vibrated. Just like _she_ did. His rough behavior should've frightened her, at least a little, but all it did was turn her on even more.

 _There's something seriously wrong with you. You know that, right?_

After shooting her one more heated, angry look, Lucian moved to the centre of the room, leaving her to gawk at his bathroom. She'd been in this room before, once, but she'd been in shock then. Literally. It had been right after she'd found Lana. She hadn't had the mental capacity back then to process how stunning his bathroom was…if you could even call the space she was standing in a bathroom. It was bigger than _her_ bed- and bathroom _combined_. The place fit him, though. It was clean, structured, dark but warm. The floor was in the same dark wood as the bedroom, the walls were painted in a black and silver, a huge chandelier hung in the middle off the ceiling and against the back wall was a giant glass shower big enough for six…or two _very active_ people. Clutching the sheet tighter, she remembered a dream she'd once had about Lucian in the shower. With her. The shower in her dreams had been smaller and not nearly as fancy, but still… She could practically feel the water pouring over her body, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he took her against the cold glass over and over again.

Her cheeks heating, she tore her gaze away from the shower, focusing instead on the sink beside her. The _single_ sink, a detail that broke her heart. Most people installed double sinks, even if they were alone, planning ahead for when they'd find someone to share their lives with. Lucian hadn't done this. Something told her he'd never even thought about a future with someone else. This twisted idea he had of himself had him believing he would never find anyone willing to spend their lives with him.

But he'd been wrong.

 _She_ was.

Even though he'd put her through so much pain; even though they'd only been officially together for a few hours, she already knew with absolute certainty that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man.

 _Her_ man.

Biting her lip, she watched him. He was standing by a black stone, deep, egg-shaped tub, pouring in something that made the water foam and the air smell like vanilla. He'd put his boxers back on, but his chest was still bare, his strong arms, those legs… _God_ , was there any place he didn't have muscles? And also, now that she knew what was underneath his clothes, how was she ever going to control herself around him again? It had been hard enough _before_ she'd known how it felt to have that chest rub against her breasts, to have those strong legs push hers apart, those arms holding her as he drove himself inside of her over and over again…

Blushing, she tore her gaze away from his chest only to be met by a pair of grey eyes that made her blush deepen even more. Why did she have the strange feeling that he knew what she'd been thinking?

"Come here."

Adrianna's mouth went dry at his bossy tone, her whole body heating up. What was it about him being strict that turned her on so much?

The wood creaking underneath her feet, she obeyed his order, butterflies fluttering in het belly.

"You won't need this," he rumbled when she reached him, pushing open her ripped shirt with a simmering look in his eyes. When the shirt slipped to the floor, she could've sworn she saw flames dancing in his eyes…but that was impossible. There was no fireplace anywhere in the room. No fireplace…and no place to hide. She'd never been naked like this before. Sure, they'd made love last night, but this was different. He was really _watching_ her. There was no touching, no cover of darkness. She was completely bare, standing underneath a chandelier, with nothing to hide the flaws. Her eyes dropping, her arms got a life of their own; one arm moving up to cover her breasts as the other trailed down to hide the part of her that ached for him most.

"Don't do that."

She peeked up at him, finding him watching her with that same fire still blazing.

"Don't ever hide from me, Cara," he commanded in deep voice. "I want to see you. _All_ of you."

Her heart raced, but she listened once again, dropping her arms by her side. God, she wanted so desperately to slip inside the tub and hide beneath the foam…until he growled softly. That primal sound of desire, of _want_ made her embarrassment vanish and suddenly, she could _feel_ him everywhere his eyes went, as if he was touching her there. Her knees trembled, her breathing turned labored…and the darkness between her legs was on fire. It ached for him so badly it actually hurt.

"You are _so_ beautiful, Adrianna," he rumbled. "And you're _mine_."

She swallowed back a moan, her hand finding the edge of the tub for support. She couldn't feel her legs anymore. How was that possible? He hadn't even touched her. How could her entire body react this way to just a look? To words?

"I wouldn't change a thing about you, Cara-" he continued, his voice lower. "But for the love of God, could you _stop_ biting that lip, woman? I know it's delicious, I've tasted it, but it makes me want to bend you over this tub and fuck you _hard_ , and I can't do that. Yet. So, have mercy."

Her jaw slackened at his confession, automatically unlocking her lip from her teeth. She wasn't used to being talked to like that. Sure, she'd dealt with the foul mouth of criminals in the past, but when Lucian spoke like that, it was different. When he spoke so unrefined, so crude…she liked it. She could feel her face heat, along with other parts of her as she imagined him behind her, pushing inside of her, making her scream. She'd never been taken like that. She'd never been taken in many ways before. But she wanted to be. God, she wanted Lucian to make love to her in every position that was humanly possible.

His charcoal eyes blazing, he cupped her cheek, tripping a moan from her throat. Was it always going to feel like that when he touched her? Like she was on fire?

Sighing, he brushed his thumb over her blush, which only turned her skin a deeper red.

"So innocent."

For a split second, she felt insulted…but then, she noticed the warmth and _pride_ in his gaze and she realized he'd meant is as a compliment.

"Now," he said, turning off the faucet. "Let's get you cleaned up."

He held out his hand and she was grateful for it. She would never have been able to step inside that deep tub gracefully without the extra support.

The water was warm and welcoming; and she couldn't stop herself from moaning as she slipped in completely, letting it envelop her. It was the perfect temperature; the heat stinging at first, but then wrapping around her like a blanket, making her feel just how much she'd actually needed this. She hadn't realized the extent to which her body was still recovering until then. Suddenly, the last lingering aches of the car crash came back with a vengeance. Her skin still burned in some places, her bones still felt sore and her back was now screaming out. She hadn't lied when she'd said she hadn't felt anything when she'd been making love to Lucian. She probably had the adrenaline-that had flooded her system after the rollercoaster of emotions she'd gone through-to thank for that. But most of the adrenaline was gone now and the more she relaxed, the more it hurt. So, maybe a little break before their next round wasn't such a bad idea after all. But a really, _really_ short one.

Closing her eyes, she lied back, surprised at just how comfortable his tub was. From the outside, the bath had looked too designer to be comfy, but in reality, it was extraordinary. It fit her back perfectly; was the right height for her head and arms to rest on, the right length for her legs, the right width for her hips, the right _everything_. If she hadn't know any better, she would've thought he'd bought it with her in mind.

When she opened her eyes again, Lucian was kneeling beside the tub, watching her, a smile playing on his lips.

"What are you looking at, mister Nox?"

"You, miss Salvatore," he said, brushing a wet curl from her forehead. It was such an innocent touch and yet, her hands clutched the edge of the tub tighter; hands that now felt sore as well. Apparently, beating a man to death took a toll on your bones. Who knew.

"Hey," Lucian rumbled, tracing the wrinkle between her eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

Her stomach turned. She knew she couldn't keep lying to him. He'd seen the wounds on her back, he knew she'd been hurt…but he had no idea the hurt _she'd_ caused. He had no idea what she'd done. If he did…maybe he wouldn't be here.

No.

He _definitely_ wouldn't be here.

"Nothing's wrong," she lied again, smiling. "I'm just a little lonely in here. Aren't you going to join me?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Not a good idea, Cara."

"I won't throw myself at you, I promise."

"It's not _you_ I'm worried about."

His words made her whole body burn. It was such a high to know he wanted her, that he didn't trust himself around her. No one had ever wanted her like that…or maybe they _had_ , but not someone she'd wanted in return. To be desired by Lucian Nox, the only man she'd ever desired back, was indescribably tantalizing.

"Is this normal?" she breathed as his fingers slid over her jaw.

"Is what normal, sweetness?"

"When you touch me-" she croaked, watching his eyes darken on hers. "-even just for a second, my body _ignites_."

"I know the feeling."

"Is it always like that, after making love?"

"I wouldn't know."

She frowned.

"I've never _made love_ to anyone before, Cara. I've never _loved_ anyone before. You were my first."

She felt herself blush again, her heart skipping a beat. "Something in common."

He smiled and she couldn't stop herself from running her fingertips over those curling lips. God, she adored that smile.

"You should do that more often."

"Make love to you?"

"No," she snickered. "I mean, yes, _definitely_ do _that_ more often, but I meant smile. You should smile more."

His lips curled even higher. "With you around, I don't think I'll have much of a choice in the matter."

She grinned, her heart doing a little dance. She made him happy? Somehow, that turned her on even more than knowing she made him horny.

He softly kissed her fingertips, which were still brushing over his lips and she couldn't stop herself from whimpering softly. God, she wanted him so badly it physically hurt. How could something that was supposed to feel _good_ ache so much?

"Kiss me."

Lucian's lips stilled on her fingers and for a moment, she was sure that he was going to turn her down…but then, he leaned down and did as she'd asked. He kissed her. Softly. Carefully. She could feel his restraint, could feel him fighting himself.

She tried to deepen the kiss to make him lose control, but as soon as her tongue touched his lips, he pulled back, getting up. She feared he was about to leave…but instead, he gnarled,

"Move forward."

Adrianna's heart lept as he disappeared behind her and the sound of fabric sliding down skin reached her ears.

He'd taken off his boxers…

She could hear footsteps behind her, a cabinet opening and a little shiver of desire rippled down her spine in response. She had no idea what he was doing, but the mere anticipation made her blood simmer.

The footsteps came closer and then stopped for a long moment, as if he was second-guessing whatever he was about to do…until finally, she felt him climbing in behind her. The water rose as he sat and she wanted to lean back immediately, curl into his lap…but he grabbed her shoulders before she could move, keeping her where she was. She wanted to protest, but then, she felt his lips on her back, kissing her bruised skin gently. Her head fell forward, her neck no longer able to hold it up. She was going to have to get used to having no control over her body, she suspected. It belonged to _him_ now, reacted to _him_ and him alone.

When his lips disappeared from her skin, his muscled arm reached for the handheld shower head beside her as he rumbled in a tight voice, "Lean your head back."

She once again found herself following his orders without even a moment's hesitation.

When a spray of warm water trickled down her hair, she closed her eyes, marveling in the soothing feeling. The back of her head was still a little banged up, but only a little and the heat made it feel _so_ much better.

Too soon, the water was gone. However, before she could mourn its loss; he started massaging her scalp, creating a soft, foaming lather that smelled divine. How could it not? It smelled like _him_.

Seconds later, the water returned, pouring warmth over her curls as his fingers gently combed through them, making sure all the shampoo was gone. As he leaned forward to turn off the water and put the shower head back in its place, he lingered, his nose brushing her hair, making her skin prickle…and then, one strong arm hooked around her waist and he pulled her back against his chest. She flushed crimson, feeling his erection against her hip. She really _was_ innocent when it came to this. Maggie had called her a _prude_ on more than one occasion, but she figured that tonight had taught her she was no such thing. It was just all _new_ to her. Being naked with a man-who was also naked-wasn't something she'd ever done before. It took some getting used to.

"You smell so good, Cara," he groaned, his nose brushing her shoulder, her neck, her hair. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

She had a pretty good idea. Biting her lip, she reached down into the water, reaching for the part of him that was _throbbing_ against her.

He grabbed her wrists before she could get to him, putting her hands on the edge of the tub.

"Keep them there," he groaned in her ear.

She squirmed against him, desperate, but kept her hands where they were. She should really see someone about this new part of herself. Someone professional. It was disturbing how easily and willingly she slipped into a submissive role. Almost as disturbing as the fact that she loved every second of it.

Trying to put out the fire that now _blazed_ between her legs, she started to rub her thighs together…but he wouldn't let her. Without warning, he placed his long legs over hers, his knees bent, his ankles level with hers as he pulled his feet apart. She gasped as her legs opened wide, giving the warm water free access to every single part of her, even the parts that were already plenty warm.

His hands came around then, finding her breasts and her brain turned into jelly. Inhaling sharply, she tried to hold on to her sanity as his fingers encircled her nipples teasingly. She could still feel his mouth there, his tongue, his teeth biting down. Biting! He'd _bitten_ her…and she'd almost come on the spot. Another thing she should see a therapist about. Pain and pleasure shouldn't go hand in hand, right?

His hands lingered on her breasts for a moment, kneading her, building her desire up to a whole new height. Before Lucian, she'd never really thought of her breast as something that could bring her pleasure, but his expert hands showed her a whole new world and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that if he wanted to, he could make her climax just by touching her chest.

But that's _not_ what he wanted.

Biting her shoulder, he left one hand on her breast and slowly slid his other down her belly. Her breathing came out labored, her heart raced, her legs trembled in the water. Panting against him, she clutched the edge of the tub tighter, needing, wanting…and then, he was between her legs and she almost fell apart. Holding her breath, she felt his fingers skillfully sliding up and down, stimulating her until her eyes rolled back in her head. Her hips started to move at their own accord, pushing against his hand, demanding more. Her body was being bombarded by sensations, feelings too powerful to stand for long. Her jaw went slack as she groaned, the pressure building slowly, ruthlessly inside her …

"That's right, baby," Lucian groaned in her ear, grazing her earlobe with his teeth. "Feel it."

She tried to stiffen her legs, to press them together, like she always did when she touched herself and was about to come. But he wouldn't let her. Her legs were still pressed to the side of the bath, held prisoner by his.

"Oh… please," she moaned.

"Please _what_ , Cara?"

"Please …I need you inside me."

He didn't respond, his fingers instead moving up until they found her clit. Her hips jerked violently, her body squirming as he moved his fingertips round and round that tiny bundle of nerves, again and again, torturing her. She was losing herself in the moment, Lucian's own sounds of pleasure only taking her closer to the edge. His tongue was in that dip between her neck and shoulders; his free fingers pinching her nipple until it stung as his palm massaged her breast. It was too much…

"Come for me, Adrianna," His voice was so strained, so tight. "Do it. Now."

And then, she fell apart. Her body just couldn't hold on anymore. Screaming, her hand flew behind her, grabbing hold of his hair as her orgasm seized her, wringing her insides again and again and again. Her scream echoed in the room, bouncing off the walls, but she didn't feel a trace of shame. There was no holding back when she was in this state, only pleasure and love. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

Collapsing back against him, she sank deeper into the water, her muscles no longer off any use. Luckily, Lucian had curled an arm around her waist again, holding her tight, keeping her from going under.

His free hand stroked her hair as she came down from her high, as she tried to remember how to speak.

"Shhhhhh, Cara," he growled. "Good girl."

Somewhere inside, a feminist cocked a disapproving eyebrow. She knew she should feel pissed off that he called her a good girl, like she was a dog…but she didn't have the strength to fight.

 _Not to mention that you love it._

Still shivering, she rested her head in the crook of his neck, trying to remember how to breath. Her whole body was still on edge; satisfied and yet longing for more.

"You're so responsive, baby," he whispered in her ear. "So sensitive. God, what am I going to do with you?"

 _I have a few ideas._

Twisting sideways as much as she could, she curled deeper into his embrace. She could feel him smile as he pressed sweet kisses into her hair, his fingertips running up and down her side as her fingers lazily brushed his chest, lingering over his heart. It was nothing short of a miracle that Lucian was in that tub with her, holding her. She'd come so close to losing him. If it hadn't been for Rellix…

Sighing, Lucian peeled her hand from his chest, kissing her fingers sweetly. It was eerie how easily that man could read her mind, her mood, her body. She'd always tried not to show too much of herself, it had seemed safer that way, but Lucian had seen through her since day one, somehow…and it felt nice to be seen.

At least, for the most part.

When he ran his thumb over her knuckles with his eyebrows knotted together, she wished she could hide the sudden guilt and horror she felt. The water had magnified their pink discoloration and you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know what had caused it. He'd had the same injuries himself not so long ago, when he'd beaten that man who'd tried to strangle her.

He hadn't killed anyone, though.

Unlike her.

Her heart dropping again, she gently pulled her hand from his, hiding her knuckles under the water, earning another frown from Lucian.

"Hey-" he whispered, tilting her chin up with his index finger until her eyes were on his again. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

This was the perfect time to spill the beans, to tell him the whole story…but she couldn't bring herself to utter the words, so instead, she said, "There's really nothing to tell."

"Baby, someone took you tonight. They drugged you and-" He trailed off, anger taking over his features again. "Please, talk to me."

 _Tell him._

"Okay," she whispered, sitting up straighter. "Lucian, the thing is-"

Those grey eyes pierced her with so much warmth, so much love…

 _I can't._

 _I can't tell him._

 _I can't lose him._

"The thing is that the woman driving the car lost control of the wheel and crashed. That's how I got the bruises on my back and the other injuries. Luckily, the mechanism of the trunk was old. It broke at impact and I ran. That's really all it was. I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't want you to worry anymore than you already do. I'm fine. I promise."

 _Not a_ complete _lie,_ her conscience tried to sooth.

Lucian stayed silent and something in that silence made her fear he knew she was still keeping something from him. But then again, how could he know that? There was no way he could know she'd lost her mind when she'd thought he was dead. Or what she'd done to her kidnappers. Or that she'd intentionally crashed that car while she was still inside of it. Right?

A cold chill crawled up her spine, making her tremble.

"Shhhhh, Cara," he finally broke the silence, hugging her to him again. "It's okay. You're safe, with me. That's all that matters. Just relax, baby."

Instinctively, she leaned into him, taking comfort in his touch, his smell. Her lungs opened again, the wild thumping of her heart slowing to a near normal pace as his palm made small circles on her back. It was so easy to forget about the messy parts of her life when he held her. He made it feel like nothing existed outside of his embrace, as if he was the whole world. _Her_ whole world.

His lips brushed her hair and before she'd decided to do so, she'd tilted her head and kissed him. She needed to distract herself, needed to feel Lucian, hold him, taste him, drown in love until she felt nothing else. No darkness, no guilt, no shame. Just him.

He kissed her back just as desperately, tasting like fire, pouring a heat into her that was indescribable. She'd only just orgasmed, but she could already feel her body wanting more, preparing for him again, tightening-

-and then, his lips were gone.

Breathing heavily, she watched him. His face was flushed, wet strands of hair falling over his eyes. He looked mouthwatering; and just as ruffled as her. Everything about him was telling her he didn't want to stop…but he still tried.

"Baby, we shouldn't-"

"We _should_." She kissed his neck, her tongue licking his warm skin. She could feel his carotid arty thump underneath her lips. His pulse was fast. Hers was faster. She'd never done this before; she'd never been the one seducing someone. She hadn't thought she would ever be so bold, so confident in her sexuality…but with Lucian, it felt natural. She wanted him and she wasn't afraid to show him. Not anymore. Maybe it had to do with the fact that she'd almost lost him tonight. Things that she'd found scary before now seemed so trivial compared to the fear she'd felt when she'd seen Lucian get shot.

Kissing a path up to his ear, her teeth found his lobe and bit down. He groaned, rolling his head and she felt herself smile. She loved pleasing him.

"Baby, please," he tried, his voice deep and raw. "Let me do the right thing. Let me take care of-"

The rest of that sentence was drowned out by a moan as she slipped her hands under water, down his impressive eight-pack, touching the trail of black hairs that led to-

Lucian caught her wrist again, glaring at her. His expression was intense, dark, almost threatening and for a moment, she thought that maybe she'd pushed him too far, maybe he was actually pissed off…but before she could ask or apologize, his mouth slammed down on hers again, his tongue immediately pushing between her lips. Soft and sweet turned into firm and frenzied, the once feather light kisses now brutalizing her lips. She wasn't sure which way she preferred. One way made my heart flutter; the other set her chest aflame.

Moaning, she turned in his embrace, shifting until she was on his lap, her fingers in his hair, her breasts pressed up against his hard chest-

"Cara,-" he growled against her lips. "We can't-"

She didn't let him finish, her hand moving to the back of his neck, forcing his mouth back on hers. He fought her for another second, but then, his strong arms enveloped hers, pulling her to him hard enough for their rib cages to collide. She couldn't breathe. He kissed her like it hurt, like his lips and tongue were too hungry, too desperate, too starved. Her hair fell over his face, over his neck, brushing his tanned skin. He let it happen for a long minute, but then reached up and grabbed it, twisting her curls in his hand. If anyone else had ever touched her like that, had _ever_ pulled her hair, she would've castrated them…but with Lucian, it felt _so_ good. She loved the sting, the feeling of being in his control, of surrendering to him. She broke the kiss to moan, to breath, to tell him how wonderful it felt…but then, his free hand pushed down on a-from the feels of it-particularly nasty bruise on her back and before she could stop it, a soft, traitorous hiss had escaped her lips.

At once, his entire body tensed again, his lips stilling on hers.

With a sigh, she pulled back, casting him a sad smile. He looked glorious with his tousled hair, burning grey eyes and serious, dark expression; and it just made her want him more.

"You're not going to make love to me again, are you?"

He let go of her hair, his fingers brushing her cheek. "I am."

"Now?"

"You're in pain."

"It's nothing."

"Cara-"

"I can handle it."

"You shouldn't _have_ to handle it."

 _Damn it, why does he have to be such a damned gentleman?_

"Don't give me that look," he rumbled. "I don't like it any more than you do, trust me. But you need time. _Your body_ needs time."

"But-"

"I don't trust myself, Cara," he cut her off, his eyes sad. "When I'm inside you...I lose control. And I can't lose control when you're hurt."

She felt her heart skip a beat, but her stubbornness refused to let him see that she was actually a little touched by the selfless gesture. Not many men would go against their own desires like that. And he _did_ desire her. She could feel the length of his desire still throbbing underneath her.

 _So close…_

"And how long are you going to keep this _no sex_ -thing up?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

He swallowed hard again, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Until I'm sure you've healed."

"So, tomorrow?"

He cocked an eyebrow.

"The day after?"

"One week."

"A week?! Lucian, do you have any idea how badly I was injured _right after_ the crash? I had several broken ribs, a gash in my head that wouldn't stop bleeding, a twisted ankle, a dislocated shoulder and I'm pretty sure two fingers were broken-"

"This is not helping!" he barked.

"The point is that I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm a fast healer. I _will_ be fine by tomorrow."

His jaw just tightened even more.

"Okay, fine, let's make it two days," she tried.

"No."

"Three."

"No."

"That's not how it works, mister Nox. You're supposed to counter."

"If we were negotiating, miss Salvatore. But we're not. One week. And you're lucky I'm not doubling it after what you just told me."

She sighed. "You're so stubborn. Not to mention dramatic."

"Dramatic? You were in a car crash, Adrianna!"

"And you were shot, but you don't see me making up ridiculous sex-rules!"

His lips twitched. "It's not a _sex-rule_. It's just a precaution. I don't want your injuries to get worse"

"Worse?" she said, shooting him a teasing look. "What are you planning to do to me, exactly?"

He sniffed, catching a wet curl between his fingers and tugging it gently.

She wanted to keep fighting this ridiculous decision, wanted to keep pushing…but then, she noticed the lingering torture in his eyes. He really thought he'd hurt her tonight, that he was a bastard for not having seen those bruises. He thought he'd mistreated her, somehow.

"You know, when Maggie and I just got to town," Adrianna said. "There was this guy named Steven Bailey. Good looking, charming…and an altogether creep."

"Okay," Lucian said, clearly confused by the change in topic. "And you're bringing this guy up now, while we're both naked, _why_?"

"Because, he's the guy _Maggie_ lost her virginity to. And it didn't happen the way it happened between us. She hadn't told him she was a virgin, but at a certain point, it's pretty obvious, I think. He didn't care, though. He didn't care whether or not she enjoyed it. He didn't even care whether or not he hurt her. And he did. Badly. Not only _during_ the thing, but afterwards too. It became clear he'd never actually loved her, that he was just in it for the chase. He even taped the whole thing to relive the thrill of capturing his prey later, with his buddies. When Maggie threatened to involve the cops, he threatened to put the tape online."

"Did he?"

"No. He and I had a little _talk_ and he decided to grow a conscience. And get out of town as fast as he could."

Lucian grinned, his eyes darkening on hers again.

"The point is," she continued before those eyes made it impossible to think straight. "You think _you_ did something wrong tonight? That _you're_ a horrible person for not seeing my bruises, bruises that _I_ didn't even know were there? Sweetheart, you did everything _perfect_. Last night was every girl's dream. It was _my_ dream."

A spark crossed his gaze.

"So please, give yourself some credit, will you?" she added.

"Thank you, Cara," he rumbled, tracing the curve of her ear with his fingertips. "But just because I treated you better than that rapist-pig treated your friend, doesn't mean I treated you the way I should have."

"Lucian-"

"One week."

She groaned, making him smile as he lifted her off his lap again, moving to get out of the tub.

"Wait," she said, clutching his bicep. "What about you?"

His eyebrows pulled together. "What _about_ me?"

"Don't you need-" she flushed. "-a release?"

He smiled a tight smile, his thumb brushing over her blush again. "This was about you, Cara."

Before she could protest, he was out of the bathtub, wrapping a towel around his waist.

"Stand up."

She listened again, this time not feeling a _second_ of embarrassment when he drank her in before lifting her out of the bath.

The moment he'd put her down, he wrapped a fluffy towel around her, tucking her in, making sure she was warm before pulling her into his arms.

"God, you feel-" he trailed off on a raspy groan, pressing a long, sweet kiss to her forehead. "How about we get you something to eat?"

She started to say she wasn't hungry…but then, she felt her stomach protest and she remembered that the last thing she'd eaten had been one bite of a pear and walnut salad at that fundraising event. And she couldn't even remember the last time she'd eaten _before_ that. She'd been too miserable without Lucian to eat. But now, he was here…and her appetite had come back with a vengeance.

"I'll take that as a _yes_ ," he said when her stomach rumbled. "Get dressed. I'll meet you downstairs."

He was gone before she could so much as process that he was leaving.

Sighing, she slumped down on the edge of the tub, watching the door he'd disappeared through, hoping he'd come bursting back in. But he didn't.

God, how was she ever going to get through this week?

* * *

Hades hurried downstairs as soon as he closed the bathroom door behind him, taking two steps at a time, getting as much distance between himself and Adrianna as he could. Once downstairs, he did laps around the kitchen island, trying to burn off all the energy vibrating inside him. His muscles trembled from the massive amount of control it had taken to keep himself in check, to stay sane as she'd fallen apart in his arms, as she'd straddled him naked…

He groaned, running his palm over his scruffy jaw.

Adrianna had been right, he needed a release, but he feared that if _she_ touched him where he ached for her the most, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from ravaging her. And he couldn't do that. Not yet. No matter how desperately he wanted to make love to her again, no matter how much he craved to be inside her, he _had_ to keep it together. She needed to heal.

 _But she's in your bathroom right now, naked, smelling like you…_

With a string of curses, Hades stopped moving in circles, flattening his hands on the cool surface of the marble, squeezing his eyes shut. He had to block the image of her naked with…something, any-fucking-thing. Suddenly, he wished he loved sports. Isn't that what men did in this situation? Think about sports? Baseball. Football.

Or the fucking weather.

Or maybe he could think about the fact that Adrianna had lied to him about her escape. He'd seen the wreckage and there was no way she'd been in that trunk during the crash. The car didn't even _have_ a trunk anymore when he'd seen it. The metal had been so twisted, there couldn't have been room for her body in that thing. So had she escaped beforehand? And if so, why not tell him?

There were so many unanswered questions, questions that should be front and centre on his list of concerns, and yet, his mind insisted on torturing him with images of last night; of Adrianna, laying on his white bedspread, her hair a cloud of dark silk around her head as he'd stripped off her red dress…All that bare caramel skin exposed to his mouth and hands… Vivid memories sent warm ripples through his body, thinning the air in his lungs.

 _No goddammit!_

He had to bide his time, give her the opportunity to recover. Which, going by the massive hard-on he was sporting, was not going to be easy. He needed a shower. A really, really cold shower. He had more than one bathroom, so he could just go upstairs and use any one of them…but _she_ was still upstairs too and he didn't trust himself at the moment. Heat was licking along every nerve ending in his body, leaving him as jittery as an addict jonesing for a hit.

 _You have a pool._

The thought had barely taken form in his head or he was already outside, diving in the freezing water. If anyone had seen him, swimming at this temperature, they would've thought he'd lost his mind…and they wouldn't have been completely wrong.

After a few laps, he disappeared inside the pool house, dried off; and dressed in a loose t-shirt and a pair of slacks that would at least _hide_ his erection, before setting to work in the kitchen.

He'd just ruined his second attempt at an omelette when he realized he'd never actually cooked before…and that it was a lot harder than he'd expected it to be. His butler, Daniel, usually prepared all his meals. Or he ate out. Or he skipped a meal. But he wouldn't have Adrianna skip breakfast. She needed fuel after the night she'd had.

Opening the fridge, he considered the contents against his mental list of meals he could make without actually having to cook. The safest bet was canned food, but the only thing canned he found in his cupboards were SpaghettiO's and that wouldn't do.

By the time he heard Adrianna's coming down the stairs, he'd laid out a few pieces of fruit and was in the process of putting two-a little too dark-pieces of toast on a plate, feeling ridiculous.

"Something smells good in here."

Turning towards her sweet voice, Hades found Adrianna walking into the kitchen, once again dressed in one of his button-down shirts. He could see her breasts pushing against the fabric and fuck him if she wasn't naked underneath….again. No bra. And he'd bet anything she wasn't wearing panties either. She hadn't come down looking like that without an agenda. The vixen was trying to seduce him, make him forget about his good intentions.

"Are you trying to kill me?"

She smiled, gathering her wet hair over her shoulder. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

He cocked an eyebrow, but Adrianna just laughed, pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek. Her lips lingered on his skin too long for it to be an accident, her body grazing against his. He tried not to think about how easy it would be to lift her up on the counter and bury himself inside of her; tried to ignore the fact that his scent on her made something possessive growl victoriously.

When she finally pulled away, she had an adorable, self-satisfied smirk on her face that made him itch to put her over his knee and discipline her for what she was doing.

"I told you to get dressed," he said, his voice raw.

"And I did. I grabbed a clean shirt."

He clutched his hands by his side, trying to keep them from ripping that fucking shirt of her body and pushing her against-

"Couldn't rally up a pair of pants?"

"Yours are all too big."

"You still have a closet full of clothes here, remember."

She tapped her forehead, letting out a little sigh. "Right, I completely forgot."

"Did you now?"

She just smiled, focusing her attention on something else.

So, what are you making here?" she sang, probing the pan on the stove with a spatula.

"Eggs," he rumbled.

"That's _eggs_?"

She grinned and he couldn't keep his eyes of her. The warm bath had made her skin flush, giving her a warm, delicious glow. Fuck, he wanted to lick every inch of that skin, dig his fingers into it, feel her tremble as he-

"So, tell me," she cut off his torture. "Did any eggs survive this epic breakfast-battle?"

"Some." His voice was husky, deep and aching. And he could tell by her blush that she'd noticed. "Would you like me to try and make you another omelette?"

"No, I'll do it," she snickered. "You leave those poor eggs alone."

He smiled when she gave him a little shove with her hips, pushing him to the side so she could take his place at the stove. When she took the pan and dumped its contents in the trash, her shirt crawled up over her thighs, making him clench the counter tighter.

"Do you have any vegetables or cheese?"

"Yes," he rushed, all but running to the fridge.

Jerking the thing open, he breathed in the cold, trying to calm his body down…but to no avail. How could his body possibly calm down when she was near him, looking like that? _Smelling_ like that?

 _You're the one who suggested a bath, you moron! You're the one who used your own shampoo!_

After he put two tomatoes, a selection of mushrooms and a little container with cheddar cheese in front of her, he strategically took a seat on the other side of the kitchen island. That way, the marble would hide the ever-growing bulge in his pants and he wouldn't have to look at those delicious legs any longer.

The next few minutes Adrianna spend mixing the last eggs with an array of herbs he didn't even know he had. She looked so focused, so damned cute and he could actually feel his heart expand in his chest. Adrianna Salvatore was making eggs in his kitchen. Thousands of years waiting, hoping and now, she was actually here. It wasn't a dream or some fantasy to help him through dark days. She was here. She was his. And she loved him. She'd seen the darkest parts of him and she _still_ loved him.

And he loved her.

 _God_ , did he love her.

She caught his eyes then and smiled, as if she knew what he'd been thinking.

"Are you going to help me or are you just going to stare at me all day?"

"Stare."

She laughed, pushing the container of mushrooms towards him.

Taking the hint, he started cutting the fungi, trying to focus on his task and not the fact that she'd popped the top button of her shirt.

"So," her sweet voice sang as she started slicing another tomato. "I'm guessing you don't cook often?"

His lips twitched. "Is it that obvious?"

She grinned again, her eyes sparkling on his. "A little. No one taught you?"

"No. Food wasn't a high priority in my family."

"Then what was?"

"Our jobs." _For lack of a better term_.

She shot him that look again, that look that warmed his heart.

"Don't feel sorry for me, Cara."

"I just wish you'd had a better childhood. I hate to think of you unhappy."

"I'm not unhappy. Not anymore."

A corner of her mouth twitched. "Really?"

He nodded, piercing her eyes as he rumbled, "Of course I'm happy. Don't you know how much I love…mushrooms."

She gasped, throwing a blackberry at him before laughing so hard another button popped, deepening that delectable neckline.

Squirming in his seat, he focused back on his task, cutting the mushrooms a little rougher than before.

"Besides," he said, trying to pick up the conversation. "I never had to learn how to cook. I have my butler to cook on the rare evenings I'm here and if I'm stuck at the club, I just go next door and have a meal at my restaurant."

" _Your_ restaurant? You mean the one in the hotel with your penthouse? That's _your_ restaurant?"

"It's my hotel."

She sniffed, shaking her head. "That explains why no one tried to help me when you were basically dragging me through the lobby."

He smiled at the memory.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you, mister Nox?"

"Oh, miss Salvatore…you have no idea."

He could see her eyes heat at the unspoken promise in his words, her teeth reaching for her lip again.

"Don't," he barked. If she bit her lip now, he was going to snap. Luckily, she listened to his order _again_ …and her obedience only made him harder.

"So," he said, trying to steer the conversation back to a safer topic. "What about you, Cara? Who taught Adrianna Salvatore to cook? Your mother?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "God, no. I love my mom, but she can't cook an egg to save her life. No offense."

"None taken."

"It was my dad. My mom always told me that the day they found out she was pregnant with me, with a human girl, my dad started learning everything there was to learn about nutrition. He was always a good cook, but he was determined to be an excellent one by the time I was born. And he was. My dad prepared every meal, every snack, every packed lunch, making sure I ate well. And from about the age of six, I was in the kitchen with him, learning, bonding. It was our special time together."

Hades watched the love in her eyes, the tenderness when she spoke of Damon. When he'd first met Damon Salvatore, he hadn't cared much for the vampire and he sure as hell hadn't thought he'd be a good father…but he clearly was. And Hades felt a new sense of gratitude towards him for it. He'd raised her right and because of his own upbringing, he hadn't realized how important that was. Until now. Elena and Damon hadn't just birthed his girl, they'd shaped her, made her into the loving, kind, strong woman that she was. And he would be forever grateful for it.

"Do you have milk?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Milk? For eggs?"

"It makes them fluffy."

"Fluffy?"

"Seriously, I'm _so_ teaching you how to cook. Lesson one, cutting mushrooms."

He frowned down at his work. "What's wrong with the way _I'm_ cutting them?"

"The slices are way too thick. They need to be thin, otherwise they'll still be crunchy by the time the eggs are done and you don't want crunchy mushrooms."

"How do _you_ know? Maybe I like my mushrooms crunchy."

"Do you?"

"No."

She shook her head, laughing again.

 _Best fucking sound ever_.

"Come here, I'll show you," she said, rounding the kitchen island.

He got up from his seat, but before he could move further away, she was beside him, taking the knife from him, her fingers brushing his.

"See," she said, wielding the knife like an expert. "Thin slices."

"Mmmmm," he gnarled, noticing how her wet hair had made the back of her shirt see-through.

 _Definitely no bra._

"All done," she sang, standing on her tiptoes and bending over the counter to push the slices to the other side of the kitchen island…making the shirt rise so high he could see the delicious swerve where her legs met that curvaceous ass of hers.

 _And_ definitely _no panties._

Before he knew what he was doing, his hand shot out, smacking down on her butt. The sharp sound echoed through the room as Adrianna jumped, straightening up again with her beautiful eyes wide.

"What was that for?" she asked, trying to sound indignant…but he didn't miss the blush that crawled down her neck; or the way her pupils had dilated.

"You know what that was for, miss Salvatore," Hades growled. "Behave."

He could see her fighting it, but she couldn't stop herself from grinning. "Again, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, mister Nox."

"Keep it up, Adrianna. I won't hesitate to take you over my knee."

"Promise?"

 _Fuck._

His eyes dropped to her lips, his pulse racing.

"Is it really so bad-" she whispered, her tiny fingers brushing over his chest. "-that I want the man I love to actually _make love_ to me?"

 _The man she loves…._

"I mean, you give me the best night of my life and now I'm supposed to behave and not fight this ridiculous decision you made?"

"It's not ridiculous."

 _Isn't it?_

 _No! Did you see those fucking bruises?!_

"Kiss me," she whispered, brushing her fingers though his hair.

Her slender fist bunched up in his shirt, her eyes shimmering, her lips so close he could barely stop himself from touching them.

"Just one little kiss," she tried.

She raised on her tiptoes, begging him to give in…but he didn't move.

So, _she_ did.

Before he was able to stop her, she'd touched her mouth to his. Her warm, delicious mouth….

 _Keep. It. Together._

And he did. For a few torturous seconds, he was able to resist her, to stay still…but then, the vixen parted his lips with her own, taking in his breath before touching the tip of her tongue to his.

And he snapped like a fucking rubber band.

Her breath caught when his hands suddenly pushed against the nape of her back, gluing her to him as his tongue sought hers. She welcomed him with a little whimper, his fingers sinking into her wet curls. He could feel himself backing her up until she hit the counter and then, he was lifting her onto the damned thing, shoving her knees apart with his thighs, forcing himself between her legs. Her hands slipped under his shirt and his did the same, sliding his fingers up to her smooth, warm hips. Her feet hooked behind his back, her heels dug into his ass-

 _No, fuck._

With a heated shudder, he gripped her arms and pushed her back, his breathing ragged as he held her at bay. She looked at him with those gorgeous heated eyes, her breath shallow. She was good; his smart little vixen. If he wasn't careful, he wouldn't make it another hour without taking her again, let alone a week.

Whimpering, she dug her nails into his abs, trying to tempt him…but he grabbed her wrists, forcing her hands on the counter as he shook his head.

"One week, Cara."

"So, I can't even kiss you now?"

"That wasn't just a kiss, sweetness."

She sighed dramatically and he couldn't resist brushing his thumb over her pouting lips, tracing their shape, memorizing where they swelled and thinned.

"Do you have to work today?" she asked, her fingers curling into his shirt again.

"I don't _have_ to do anything. My manager is used to running the club when I'm not there. Why? What did you have in mind?"

"Well, my first idea was that you take me back upstairs and-"

"Cara," he rumbled warningly.

"Fine, Plan B, then," she snickered. "It involves Maggie's convertible, a cliff and a little secluded beach. What do you think?"

He cupped her cheek, his fingers tracing her ear. "I think I would like nothing more than to go to our beach with you…but it's not smart to go out right now, unprotected. We don't know who came after you tonight and until we do, I'm not taking any chances."

"Okay-" she sang, hooking her arms around his neck. "-then how about we stay in and I educate you on some movies? We'll start with Titanic and work our way up to-" The words got trapped in her throat when an unexpected sound echoed through the room.

His doorbell.

"Are you expecting someone?" Adrianna asked, glancing over his shoulder at the entrance.

"No," he frowned, checking the clock above the fridge. Three. Who would anyone bother him at three in the morning?

"Don't visitors have to buzz in at your gate?"

Hades jaw locked as he remembered coming home after seeing the wreckage, after thinking she was dead. He'd been so numb, so broken that he'd probably left the thing wide open.

"Stay here."

He could tell Adrianna had heard the worry in his voice, her body language going from seductive to alert.

"Lucian," she said, jumping off the counter. "Don't-"

"Stay, Cara," he repeated in a harsher tone, grabbing a knife out of the wooden block beside her. "Don't move your butt from this spot, do you hear me?"

He could see her hesitating, but before she could protest any further, he'd disappeared in the hallway, hiding the weapon behind his back. Whoever was at his door had placed their car right in front of his house, not bothering to turn off the engine, its lights pushing a burst of white through his windows. Which meant they had either stopped in a hurry…or were prepared to _get away_ in a hurry.

Probably with his girl in the trunk.

He wasn't going to let that happen again.

Ever.

Clutching the knife tighter, he took a deep breath and flung open the door, his stomach dropping when he saw-

"Ryder?"

The blond man looked a mess; his eyes had dark circles under them, his hair was sticking out in all directions, his anxiety oozed off him in waves…and Hades felt a pang of guilt burn his chest. He'd totally forgotten about Ryder.

Her fiancée.

This guy had expected to marry Adrianna and instead, she was sitting in his kitchen. Half naked.

"Is she here?" he spoke, his voice rough.

Hades dropped the knife on the table by the door, sighing. "Look, Ryder-"

"Just tell me, Nox!" he snapped. "Is she here or not?!"

Hades' pity turned into annoyance, his eyes narrowing. Ryder had every right to be upset, with both him and Adrianna, but he wasn't going to let him work out his anger on _her_. She didn't need that, especially not tonight. She'd been through enough without having to be berated by this idiot.

"Look, it's late, Ryder," Hades said, keeping his voice as kind as he could. "Go home and -"

"Alexander?"

Hades glared over his shoulder at the sound of her voice and found Adrianna standing in the middle of the hall. Had he not asked her to stay in the kitchen? Had he dreamt that?

 _Stubborn woman._

"Anna."

The way Ryder spoke her name made Hades' eyebrows pull together. There was no anger, no jealousy…just _relief_. His fiancée was in another man's house, her hair still a mess from where he'd run his fingers through it, her lips still red from sucking his. You had to be an idiot not to figure out what they'd been up to and yet, instead of punching Hades' lights out, he pushed straight passed him and headed for his fiancée, pulling her into a hug the second she was within reach. Adrianna hugged him back, with a lot less passion, but still…

Now, Hades knew had a no right to be jealous or pissed off…but that didn't stop him from feeling exactly that. Jealous and _fucking_ pissed. He couldn't stand the fact that that Ryder-fuck was hugging her, especially since she was still only wearing his shirt. There was not nearly enough material between that moron and his woman.

And she was _his_ woman.

She'd been his since before she'd been born. She _belonged_ to him, and _he_ belonged to _her_. A ring from some other man didn't change that.

When he slammed the door shut roughly, Adrianna unwrapped her arms from the man, gently grabbing his shoulders and pushing him back until he let go of her as well.

"Anna," Ryder said again, cupping her face. "Thank God."

Adrianna's brows pulled together, her expression as puzzled as his.

"I tried to call you, but it went straight to voicemail."

"Right, I…lost my purse."

"I looked everywhere for you before I finally remembered you went after Nox last night. I figured you'd ended up here with him. It took me a while to get his address-"

"Okay, what the fuck is going on?" Hades barked, losing his patience. "This is _not_ the way a man reacts when he finds his fiancée, half naked in another man's house!"

"Well, no, but we're not really-" Ryder trailed off, his eyes switching back to Adrianna. "Wait, you didn't tell him?"

"Crap," she sighed, pressing her eyes shut. "No, I forgot. With everything going on-"

"You forgot _what_?"

"Sweetheart-" Adrianna sang, "-we're not actually engaged."

"What?!" he gnarled, relieved and confused at the same time. "What are you talking about?"

"Alexander's a case I'm working, nothing more."

"That's a little harsh," Ryder mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell me this at the fundraiser?" Hades asked, ignoring the idiot.

She huffed, a naughty smile pulling at her lips. "You mean the fundraiser where you pretended that your niece was your date? Geeh, I don't know."

 _That little minx. She didn't tell me to make me jealous…and it had worked. Like a fucking charm._

"I'm just glad you're okay," Ryder said before Hades could ask anything else.

"Why wouldn't she be?" he snarled, suspicion crawling in his veins. No one knew what had happened tonight, no one but Rellix and he was pretty sure this human didn't know the warlock. So how the fuck did he know something had happened?

"When I got home-" Ryder answered. "-the place was ransacked."

"Someone broke in?"

"And they didn't even touch my safe."

Adrianna huffed. "They were looking for something specific."

"And they found it. Your room was torn apart, your laptop was gone and so were the files you'd taken from my office."

Adrianna turned pale, rubbing her forehead.

"And then, there was this." Ryder added, reaching into his pocket.

Hades was beside Adrianna in a second, grabbing the idiot's wrist before he could pull out whatever he had stashed in there. She might've trusted the guy, but Hades wasn't taking any chances. Not when it came to her safety.

"Slowly," Hades snarled.

Shooting him an annoyed look, Ryder pulled back his hand inch by inch, like Hades had commanded, showing a piece of paper clutched between his fingers. Hades snatched it from him, unfolding it roughly.

His jaw tight, he read the words written in ink; the words that made his heart ache.

 _Her blood is on your hands. Stop looking._

Adrianna took the paper from him, reading it as her cheeks paled even more.

" _Her blood is on your hands_?!" Hades snarled. "On _your_ hands?!" Seeing red, he flung forward, grabbing Ryder's collar and forcing him back until he was slamming him into the wall.

"Get the fuck of me, Nox!"

"You _?!"_ Hades hissed, flames licking his blood. _"You_ are the reason they came after her tonight? _You_ are the reason I almost lost her?! _YOU_?!"

"They came after her?!"

"Yes!" Hades barked, slamming Ryder's body into the wall again, his head making a satisfying sound against the bricks.

"Lucian, stop it!" Adrianna yelled behind him…but he didn't listen, only grabbing him tighter. He wanted to slam his fist into that idiot's face until he felt even an inkling of what Hades had gone through tonight…but then, she was beside him, touching his arm.

"Lucian, sweetheart," she said in that fucking kind voice of hers. "Let him go."

Ryder's leather jacket screamed out underneath his clutching fingers…and then, pulling up his nose, he let go. Against every instinct. Against every desire. For her. And she rewarded him with that warm smile he didn't deserve.

"What are you involved in, Ryder?" Hades snarled.

"It's not what _he_ is involved in," Adrianna answered in his stead. "It's what _I_ am involved in."

Hades frowned. "You?"

She nodded. "The whole reason Alex and I are pretending to be engaged is so I can get unlimited access to his files without anyone suspecting what I'm really doing."

"And what _are_ you really doing?"

"Trying to catch a thief. Someone in Alex' company is stealing money from a select number of accounts. Small amounts, but they've been at it for a while, so small crumbs were turning into a seriously big loaf of bread and-"

"-you just had to get involved?" Hades cut her off, angry. "Last time I checked, you're still suspended from the force, right?"

Her eyes hardened a little at his tone as she crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "My sergeant told me that if I do this, I could get my job back."

"So you were almost killed because of a fucking _job_?"

"How did he find out you were looking into him?" Ryder cut in. "We were careful-"

"Obviously not careful enough!" Hades barked. He wanted to calm down, he really did. He didn't want to fight with her, not tonight…but he was furious. She'd almost gotten herself killed because of that moron? Because she wanted her job back? _That's_ why he'd almost lost her? And sure, rationally, he knew it wasn't her fault…but he was too angry to see reason.

"What exactly happened tonight?"

Hades shot Ryder a glare, but before he could speak, Adrianna said, "Men attacked us on the street. They shot Lucian-"

"You're shot?"

Adrianna turned red at her slip-up, her eyes searching his for help.

"The bullet just grazed me!" he snarled. "It's Adrianna who they drugged and shoved in a trunk!"

Ryder's eyes widened. "They took you?"

She nodded.

"Why?"

"I thought we just established that! Because of you, you stupid-"

"No," Ryder cut him off. "Why did they _take_ her? Why not shoot her on the street? The note implies they were going to kill her anyway, so why go through all that trouble?"

Hades hated to admit it…but the guy had a point. If they'd wanted to kill her, they could've. He wouldn't have been able to protect her after he'd been shot…

"I think I know why," Adrianna sighed. "I heard them in the car. One of them said they were going to take me to my apartment and-" She paused, her eyes flickering briefly to his. She was clearly debating whether or not to say more. And something told him she was hesitant because of _him_. Whatever she wasn't saying…he wasn't going to like it.

"And what?!" he gnarled.

She sighed, swallowing hard before she whispered. "-and play with me a little before shooting me."

" _Play_ with you?" he gnarled, his voice barely human anymore.

She nodded. "They wanted to make it look like a break-in."

"Why?" Ryder asked.

"Because when you kill a cop, the entire force is mobilized," she answered. "There's no getting away. So, he couldn't risk the police even _suspecting_ it had anything to do with your case. They would turn your company upside down and he wouldn't have been be able to hide. But, if he made it look like I was killed because of money-"

"-no one would suspect it had anything to do with Ryder's case, since the guy who's stealing from him has already gathered a small fortune by now " Hades finished on a hiss.

She shot him a little smile, even though she clearly didn't feel like smiling. "Exactly."

"So, this guy figured that if he killed you and send me this note that I wouldn't _tell_ the cops? That I would be scared into dropping the case and let him get away with it?!"

She nodded. "And no one would've found it suspicious. After all, you'd be riddled with guilt and grief." Her eyes dropped to her hands, her fingers flexing by her thighs. "Those are two emotions that can make anyone do anything."

"If he was so worried about the repercussions of killing a cop, why not just kill Ryder and leave _you_ the fuck alone?" Hades snarled.

"Because if he kills Alex, he might as well hand over a signed confession. The link to him would be too obvious. "

"So, why didn't he just run?" Ryder asked. "When he found out you were working this case, that I was on to the embezzlement, why not just take off?"

"Because he wouldn't get far. The moment he disappeared, it would've only been a matter of hours before it would've been obvious who was behind this whole thing. There would be _one_ person unaccounted for at work, _one_ person who would've been nowhere to be found. You would've figured out who the thief was in no time, pressed charges first thing and the thief's name and face would've been plastered in every newspaper by the next morning. What good is it to have all that money, without the freedom to spend it?"

"Do you think he's on the run now? I mean, if he believes he's scared me into silence, he must think I won't report it if he disappears."

"No," Adrianna shook her head. "The cops might've looked in a different direction because of the break-in, but they're not idiots. If someone from your firm suddenly disappears, they would've connected the dots. Trust me, whoever was behind the attack tonight, whoever is stealing from you, will show up right on time for his shift tomorrow."

"Are you kidding me? He's going to show his face after attempting to murder my fiancée?!"

"She's not you fiancée!" Hades snarled.

"The guy doesn't know that!"

"But _you_ do, so don't call her that!"

* * *

Adrianna closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead as Lucian and Alex argued. She didn't have the energy to deal with _two_ alphas. Despite the wonderful things that had happened tonight, she _had_ also almost died…and Salvatore or not, that took a toll. Her body was using most of its energy to heal her last wounds and she could feel it wanted to rest. But she didn't have time for that. There was still a killer on the loose and-

She felt herself sway and immediately, Lucian was there, cupping her face, the worry unmistakable in his voice as whispered, "Cara, are you alright?"

She nodded, smiling weakly. "I'm fine."

"You should rest, Adrianna. You barely slept."

"After."

"Why don't we move this conversation to a place where she can sit?" Alex jumped in.

A muscle in Lucian's jaw ticked, but he nodded none the less, holding on to her as they moved into the living room.

"You're too pale," he rumbled as he sat her down on the couch, adding on a hiss, "Fuck, you didn't eat yet."

"She barely _ever_ eats".

Lucian cocked a disapproving eyebrow. Something told her that her days of skipping meals were over.

"I could get you something," Alex offered as Lucian made the fireplace in front of her come to life.

"No, that's not-"

"She started on eggs in the kitchen. It's all there," Lucian cut her off, shooting her a look that left no room for objection.

"Eggs it is," Alex said, moving to the open kitchen behind them. "Anything for Anna."

Adrianna rolled her eyes. That comment hadn't been for her benefit. Alex was trying to make Lucian jealous. And it was working. Lucian's eyes were glinting like grey glass, sharp and deadly.

"Hey," she whispered as Alexander set to work behind them. "Don't let him get to-"

"He's not getting to me."

She tried to hide her smile at his fiery reaction, but he saw it, his own lips twitching in response. "Are you laughing at me, Salvatore?"

She shook her head even though she was now grinning. "I wouldn't dare."

He sank down beside her on the sofa, catching a loose curl between his thumb and forefinger, tugging it and releasing it so it bounced back up. "I don't like the guy."

"You don't _know_ the guy. He's not that bad."

"You don't see the way he looks at you."

Adrianna ran her fingers through his dark locks, watching the orange of the flames dance on his cheekbones. "Why do you always think that every man in my life is in love with me?"

"Oh, I'm not saying this fucker's _in love with you_ , Cara. I'm saying he wants you in his bed. "

And there was that blush again. "Don't be ridiculous."

Lucian sighed deeply, shaking his head. "You know, the fact that you don't see the effect you have on men is as adorable as it is frustrating. You have no idea what you do to them, Cara. What you do to _me_."

She smiled, her belly tingling.

"Or to _him_ ", he added, his voice harsher as he glared over her shoulder at Alex.

"Nothing between Alex and I was real. It was all an act."

"That doesn't mean he didn't _enjoy_ it."

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. "You have no reason to be jealous. Of anyone."

He smiled for the first time since Alex had arrived, tucking a curl behind her ear, his eyes holding hers sweetly.

And then, those eyes turned darker…that smile dropped…and she knew where his mind had gone.

"I'm okay," she smiled. "I'm right here."

"When I saw that note-"

"I know."

"If I'd lost you-"

"You didn't."

"I almost did."

"But you didn't," she smiled, taking his hand and placing it over her heart. "I'm here, sweetheart. And I'm not going anywhere."

He let out a deep breath, pressing his forehead against hers. Smiling, she sifted her fingers through his hair, marvelling in the warmth that spread out inside of her.

"I didn't know it felt like this," she whispered.

"That what felt like this?" he whispered back.

"Love."

Those grey eyes touched hers again.

"I always thought it was overhyped; that my life was fulfilling enough without someone else in it…but now, I get it. I get why my parents are so disgustingly clingy; why they can't spend a day apart; why they can't leave a room without kissing each other. It's because of _this_ ; because of this feeling. I feel like… I'm home."

Lucian swallowed hard, his hands finding her cheeks again. "You _are_ home. Everything that I have, everything that I am, is yours."

She bit her lip, her belly knotting when his eyes dropped to her mouth, his nose brushing hers, his breath-

"Breakfast is served."

Anger took over Lucian's features again as he let go of her reluctantly, shooting daggers at Alexander.

"Thank you, Alex."

"Yes," Lucian snarled, his voice tight as he followed her to the kitchen island. "Thank you."

"No problem. It's what fiancées do."

Lucian's hand froze where it had been running up and down her back, his fingers digging a little deeper into her skin. Alexander trying to make Lucian jealous was funny on some level, since the guy didn't even hold a candle to Lucian, but he was starting to get even more pissed off than he already was and she didn't like that. Luckily, Alex seemed to understand it was time to back off when she shot him a warning look.

"Eat, Adrianna," Lucian rumbled behind her, pushing the plate of eggs closer to her. "Now."

She listened willingly, digging her fork in the eggy goodness and working it down as Lucian told Alexander more about the events of that night. He gave the short version of course; gave him detailed descriptions of the men and the car, but leaving out little details like the fact that a warlock had saved his life. That wasn't information a normal human was privileged too. And of course skipping over the things they'd done afterwards. Not that it wasn't obvious at that point, but she was still grateful Lucian didn't rub it in Alex' face.

"So," Lucian concluded. "Now that Adrianna's cover has been blown, I think the smartest thing to do is for us to drop you off at the nearest police station so someone other than my exhausted girlfriend can go after this guy."

 _Girlfriend._

"I agree," Alex said. "It won't be long before we catch him now. Adrianna probably knows who it is, right?"

Adrianna's fork stilled on her plate. "I do?"

"Yeah. I mean, the guy obviously chose _now_ to come after you because you were closing in on him, so you must've had a suspect-"

"No, I didn't," she cut him off. "I _don't_."

"But he stole your laptop, your files, even your notes. That means there was something in there he didn't want anyone to see."

He was right. This guy was smart. He wouldn't have taken a risk like tonight without good reason. It hadn't been a spur of the moment attack. This had been thought out, planned, so he would be ready whenever she got close to him.

"I don't know," she said, feeling like an idiot. Exactly how long had her cover been blown? How long had this guy been aware of the fact that she was investigating him? "There wasn't anything suspicious in the last batch of files. No debts, no sudden cash flows, no expensive purchases. I have no suspects. None."

"And you didn't recognize any of the men who took you?" Lucian asked.

She shook her head. "No. I heard a name in the car, _Richards_ , but he was one of the men who'd been hired, so I don't think that's a solid lead into the identity of our thief. Does _Richards_ ring any bells for you?"

"No," Alex sighed. "But I have many branches. I don't know every single person who works for me by name."

"I don't remember seeing a _Richards_ in the files I had either. Then again, I saw so many names… Maybe you could get me a copy of the files of anyone named Richards or anything that sounds like that, paper files, so there's no digital trace. I could run them through AFIS-"

 **"Are you kidding me?!"**

Alexander jumped at Lucian's barking interjection, actually taking a step back from the man towering over her. But Adrianna stayed right where she was, looking up at him, confused. "What?"

" _What_?!" he spit out, narrowing his eyes. "You barely survived this ridiculous case _once_ and now you want to go in for a second round?! Are you out of your fucking mind, woman?!"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I've asked you before not to call me woma-"

"You're staying away from this case!"

"But-"

"No buts, Salvatore! You almost died! Because of _money_! Do you understand that?! Not because you were trying to catch a serial killer and save lives! Not because you wanted to protect someone you love! No, because of fucking money!"

"Lucian, they tried to kill me! They tried to kill _you_! I can't just walk away from that! Especially not now that I know what he's capable off! He poses a real danger to other people's lives! To _your_ life!"

"Fine, then just hand the fucking case over! It doesn't _have_ to be you! Why did they put you on this thing in the first place?! This case is about numbers! You're not a fucking accountant!"

"Actually, I _am_ a fucking accountant!"

"What?!"

"You heard me!"

"You're kidding me, right?!"

"No, I'm not! Before I made detective, I had to go undercover as someone who could cook the books for certain people-"

"This was when you got _shot_?!"

She clutched her jaw at the bite in his words, crossing her arms over her chest. "Look, Lucian, I'm a cop! I get myself in dangerous situations sometimes!"

"Sometimes?!"

"It comes with the territory!"

"Then choose another territory!"

"Being a cop is who I am!"

"Being a cop is what'll get you killed!"

"Look, if you want some woman who's going to sit by the fire and rub your feet all day, then maybe I'm not your girl!"

Her heart actually stopped the second the words were out of her mouth, fear gripping her body. Why had she said that?! Off course she was his girl! She didn't want him to doubt that…or reconsider…

"Okay," Alex said, pushing past them as Lucian glared at her in silence. "I feel like this is something you might want to discuss in private. I'll be in the hall."

Adrianna didn't look away from Lucian's seething eyes, his chest moving up and down rapidly. She could feel his rage coming off him in waves, his muscles visibly trembling underneath his skin.

Holding her breath, she waited, unsure of what was coming next. Had she finally pushed him too far? Had he finally had enough?

The door clicked closed behind Alexander and in a catch of her breath, Lucian's mouth slanted down on hers. His late-day beard was rough against her skin as he consumed her mouth with a kiss driven by the sheer will to ravage. This wasn't slow or gentle. There had been no built-up. His tongue had sought hers immediately, his hand clutching the back of her neck tightly. She shouldn't like this. He was too rough, too angry, too dominant…but her body grew weak, her heart sped up, hands and lips desperately trying to match his pace. She was powerless to stop him…and unwilling. Because deep down, she knew this was _him_. When all the suits, houses and cars were stripped away, this was Lucian Nox. Raw, dominant, powerful. She'd felt it before, when they'd been making love. It hadn't been until he'd let go that she'd felt like he was really there, like he really saw her, felt what she felt, was as lost as her. And she wanted him to be who he truly was. She wanted him to feel free, to know that no matter what he said or did, he would still be loved unconditionally.

Her fingers curling in his shirt, she got up from the stool, pressing her body against his, making her feel just _how much_ he wanted her.

His fingers found her hair, pulling at her curls…

…and then, in a frantic beat of her heart, he broke their kiss.

She drew in some much needed oxygen, numb as she tried to stay on her feet. His chest was heaving and his eyes were hard, focused on her with ravenous intent as she waited. Waited for him to continue. Or walk away. Anything.

"Let's get one thing straight, Salvatore," he finally snarled, his fingers tightening in her hair. "You _are_ my girl!"

His words seemed to vibrate through her, low and thick in the air.

"Just because I won't _take you_ again right away-" he growled. "-doesn't mean you're not _mine_."

She nodded, the force of his savage look making her shudder.

"Say it," he commanded, his free hand squeezing her hip. "Now."

"Yes," she breathed. "I'm yours. I'm your girl. Always."

She gasped as his lips moved to her neck, his teeth softly grazing over her neck. "Then tell Ryder to fuck off and forget about this."

Her body froze and immediately, he pulled back, snarling, "Damn it, Adrianna!"

She sighed, frustrated. "Look, I'm sorry, but I have to finish this, Lucian. You know I have to."

"Why you?!" he barked, the mood completely ruined. "Why does it _have_ to be you?! I'm sure there are other cops who could do this job, others who have credentials as an accountant!"

"Three in total, including me. One is fifty-five and would look kind of suspicious on Alexander's arm and the other one is a man, so again, with Alexander's reputation, that wouldn't fly as a cover, so I'm-"

"Wait," he hissed his voice lined with ice. "Are you saying that you're not only going to continue to investigate this case-which is already ludicrous enough as it is-but you're also going to continue acting as that fucker's fiancée?!"

"Lucian-"

"No!"

"Honey-"

"I forbid it!"

She flinched as if he'd slapped her, crossing her arms over her chest. "You _forbid_ it?"

"Yes," he gnarled, unashamed.

"You can't _forbid_ me things, Nox!"

"I just did!"

"Well, I'm not going to follow your _order!_ "

Something dangerous shone in his eyes as he moved closer again, only stopping when there was just a sliver of air left between them. For a second, she had to remind herself that they were fighting and her knees had no business getting weak…

"You're not going to follow my order?" he rumbled, his lips hovering only inches from hers. "But you like following my orders, don't you, Cara?"

Her mouth went dry.

"You like being controlled by me. You like to _submit_ to me."

She swallowed hard, raising her chin stubbornly. The bastard chuckled at that.

"Don't pretend with me, Cara. I know you."

"Do you?"

He nodded slowly, those dark eyes dropping to her lips.

"Then do you really think-" she snapped. "-that you can seduce me into abandoning a friend?"

"He's your _friend_ now?"

She narrowed her eyes at the snark in his voice. "He was there for me when I was going through a tough time, so yes, he's a friend."

"What _tough_ time?"

She huffed. " _What tough time_? You broke my heart, Lucian! I was a mess!"

His face turned hard, that torture back in his eyes and at once, she regretted her words. "I'm not saying that to make you feel guilty. I just need you to understand that Alexander and this case helped me, distracted me from missing you. Not a lot, but it helped me out of bed and forced me to go out. If it hadn't been for him…I don't know where I'd be."

A muscle in his jaw ticked. "What do you think is going to happen when you continue pretending to be Ryder's fiancée? Do you think the asshole who's behind this will just cut his losses and leave you alone? He knows you're a cop. He knows you're after him. You just said so yourself."

"Yes, so if I pretend like nothing happened and continue my investigation, he'll be rattled and slip up. He'll make a mistake, somewhere and when he does-"

"That mistake could be _killing you_!"

She sighed, running her fingers over his jaw…but he grabbed her hand, holding on to it as he whispered, "You don't have to do this. You know that, right? You don't owe that man anything."

"It's not about _owing_ him. This is what I do. I protect people."

 _If you're not killing them._

"Adrianna, please," he growled. "It's too dangerous."

"I'll be okay."

"You don't know that."

"I _have_ to do this."

"You don't _have_ to do anything, except stay alive! I don't want you to put yourself in this kind of danger!"

She wanted to listen, to sooth the fear she saw in those beautiful grey eyes…but she couldn't turn her back on this case, on Alex. Not after that car. If there was still any humanity left in her, she was going to hold on to it, harness it and the only way to do that was by helping people again, not kill them nor leave criminals out on the street.

" _Please_ , don't ask me to walk away," she whispered. "If I don't do this and this guy escapes, if he _hurts_ anyone else, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

His jaw locked, but she could see the anger in his eyes diminishing just a bit.

"If I threw you over my shoulder right now and locked you up somewhere, to stop you from doing this, would you still love me?"

She smiled sadly. "Yes, I would."

His eyes softened even more.

"But I'd know that you don't truly love me."

"Because I'd want to protect you?!"

"No, because you'd want to lock away a part of me that I can't change. This is who I am, Lucian. You might see it as being stubborn or proud, but this is who I am. I will always go after injustice. I know you don't like it, but-"

"Off course I _like_ it!" he cut her off, sighing. "I _love_ that you want to change the world! I just don't love that you don't seem to care whether or not you survive this crusade!"

"I _do_ care. I don't want to die."

 _Not anymore._

Growling, he grabbed a handful of her shirt and pulled her against him again. "I can't lose you, Adrianna."

"You won't."

"If something happened to you, I would-" he trailed off, touching his forehead to hers. "I just can't lose you."

"You won't lose me. I'm not going in blind. I'm a good cop, Lucian. And I'm a good fighter, you know that," she smiled, shooting him a playful look when she added, "I have skills, mister Nox."

His eyes turned darker, making her cheeks burn. She could see in his gaze where his mind had gone…and hers was right there with him.

"God-" he rumbled, brushing his fingertips over her cheek. "-that blush will be the end of me."

And then, he was kissing her again, his arms wrapping around her, holding on tight.

"If you forget about this plan-" he breathed in her mouth. "-I'll make love to you again."

"Liar."

His lips twitched against hers. "Okay, maybe not, but I'll make you come three more times before the sun rises. _That_ , I can guarantee."

She ignored the fantasies his words conjured up and put her hands on his chest, softly pushing him away from her aching body.

"Okay," he gnarled. "Fine."

"Fine? Fine what?"

"I'll allow you-"

She cocked an annoyed eyebrow.

"I'll _support_ you-" he corrected. "-in going through with this moronic plan."

"It's not a moronic-"

"But there's no way in hell," he cut her off. "That you're doing this alone."

"I won't be alone. Alex will be there and he has guards who-"

Lucian let out an annoyed sound and then grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the kitchen with him, back into the hallway, his determined pace worrying her.

"Oh, hey," Alex said when he spotted them. "Did you guys work everything out?"

"I think so," Adrianna said, unsure. "I-"

"Here's what's going to happen," Lucian cut her off on a bark, his fingers entwining with hers. "Adrianna is-against my better judgement-going to continue looking into this case like nothing happened."

"Like nothing happened?" Alex asked, his eyes switching back and forth between her and Lucian. "Does that mean-"

"-that she's going to keep up the ridiculous charade of being your fiancée?" Lucian finished for him, his hand tightening on hers. "Yes. Although, for the life of me, I don't get how anyone believed that crap in the first place."

"You do realize," Alex ignored him, addressing Adrianna. "That this guy might come after you again, right?"

"Which is why I'm your new best friend," Lucian snarled, answering in her stead.

"What?" Adrianna said at the same time Alex asked, "I'm sorry?"

"If she's doing this-" Lucian gnarled. "-there's no way I'm not going to be with her every step of the way. Now, since she's supposed to be engaged to you, it would seem suspicious if I just hung around her, so you're going to pretend we're working on an investment deal, which will justify the time we spend together."

Alexander sniffed, not a reaction Lucian appreciated gathering from his tightening jaw.

"You own a chain of clubs," Alex said. "I don't invest in clubs."

"You do now."

"Look, Nox, you really don't have to worry. I have a team of the best bodyguards at my disposal who-"

"-were nowhere to be found when she was kidnapped, drugged and almost killed tonight?!"

Alexander's shoulders slumped. He knew Lucian was right and more than that, he knew there was no point in arguing. Everything about Lucian screamed that this wasn't a negotiation. These were Lucian's terms for letting her continue with this charade and there was no wiggle-room. Alexander could either take it or leave it. Lucian probably preferred the latter.

"So," he continued on a snarl. " _My_ men will be taking over."

" _Your_ men? Last time I checked, she was with _you_ when she was taken, so-"

"My men weren't with me, Ryder! I didn't know she was going to be there!"

"Wait," Adrianna cut in, frowning up at Lucian. "Your bodyguards aren't with you when I'm not there?"

"Off course not. I have no need for security myself. I only hired them when you took up residence in my home."

Even though the warrior in her wanted to point out that she could take care of herself, this softer side of her won out. He'd hired those men to protect her? Even back when they didn't get along, when they did nothing but fight, he'd been watching out for her?

He must've seen the surprise on her face, because he added, "I couldn't be there and you needed protection, so I made arrangements."

He said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world; as if it didn't emphasize what a kind and loving soul he was. How could he possibly think anything about him was dark?

"Look," he said a little harsher, interpreting her silence as a sign of disapproval. "I know you don't like it when I make decisions about your safety without consulting you, but you can't expect me to just-"

He didn't have time to say anything else before her mouth collided with his, pulling him into a long, loving kiss. He made a sound like a growl when he let go of her hand, his arms snaking around her waist.

Just when her fingers found his hair, holding on tight, the sound of someone clearing his throat pierced through the haze of desire.

Adrianna blushed when their lips disentangled-she'd actually forgotten they weren't alone for a moment - but there wasn't a trace of embarrassment on Lucian's face. Just annoyance.

"You do realize you're going to have to keep _that_ -" he waved his index finger between her and Lucian "-in check when we're in public, right? She's supposed to be in love with _me_."

Lucian's fingers dug deeper in her waist, his jaw tense again.

"Okay, so," Adrianna broke the renewed tension between both men. "Everyone is clear on the plan? We just act like nothing happened, like I'm still your fiancée."

"And my men will see to your protection," Lucian growled, emphasizing with another squeeze of his fingers, "As will I."

"Okay, but how long are we going to keep this up? I mean, the longer that criminal stays in my company-"

"-the more money you lose?" Lucian snapped.

"-the longer Adrianna's in danger," Alexander corrected, his eyes spitting fire. "Look man, I know you don't like me very much-"

"That's an understatement."

"-and to be honest, I don't like you either," Alexander continued. "But if we're going to work together, if we're going to have to act like _friends_ , you should know that this was never about my money. I have plenty of money. I just don't like getting ripped off. That being said, if the day comes that I have to choose between letting this guy escape or getting Adrianna hurt, I'll book that fucker's flight myself. _She_ is more important to me than any of this crap."

If he'd thought that would calm Lucian down, he was sorely mistaken. If anything, Lucian tensed even more, his nostrils flaring.

"Why don't we all get a few more hours of sleep?" Adrianna tried, touching Lucian's chest. "We're all a little touchy, so let's just take a breather."

"Good idea," Alexander said, finally breaking the glare he was exchanging with Lucian. "I have a meeting at eleven, but it shouldn't run late, so come over to the office by twelve and we'll have lunch together, get back into our routine."

"Can't wait," Lucian snapped before Adrianna could answer.

Alexander ignored him, instead heading for the door.

Before he disappeared from sight though, he shot her a sweet look, whispering, "I'm glad you're okay, Anna."

She gave him a little grateful smile and then, he was gone.

"Would it hurt you to be nice to him?" Adrianna sighed, when the door clicked closed.

"Would it hurt him to at least _try_ to hide the fact that he wants what's mine?" he snarled back.

She should've felt annoyed about his possessive behavior, especially since there was nothing going on between her and Alex, but she didn't. At all. On the contrary, it made her cheeks flush with another wave of heat. She liked his possessiveness, his jealousy. She liked belonging to him.

 _God, what is happening to me?_

"He just sees me as a friend," she lied, but she could tell by his expression that he didn't believe her. Not one bit.

"Come on," he rumbled, grabbing her hand. "Let's go."

"Go where?"

"To bed."

Her belly fluttered. "Really?"

"To sleep, Salvatore," he said, his lips twitching. "I swear, you have a one–track mind."

"Only when it comes to you," she teased.

He laughed and then, he scooped her up, carrying her the rest of the way. She wasn't tired or in pain, but she didn't protest. There were worse things in the world than his strong arms wrapped around her and her nose buried in the crook of his neck.

When they reached her room, he plopped her down on the bed, watching her with eyes that promised so much. Trying her luck, she laid back, stretched lazily, knowing full well her shirt would crawl up her thighs.

"Everything alright?" she asked, unable to stop herself from grinning when she noticed his grey eyes drinking her in with a dark expression.

For a long moment, he just stood over her, watching her, trying to stay in control. She almost felt guilty for that torment in his eyes…but hey, she wasn't the one who'd come up with that _no sex_ -crap.

A deep sound emerged from Lucian's chest, making her skin tingle…and then, he was gone, disappearing in his bathroom without another word.

It wasn't long before she heard water rain down. He was taking a shower. Probably a cold one. In that big, glass shower of his… Feeling bold, she decided to join him, but when she tried to open the door, she found it locked.

"Go to sleep, Salvatore!" he boomed from inside.

 _Oops, busted._

Grinning, she sat back down on the bed, trying to get her mind out of the gutter. Or in this case, the shower.

* * *

Hades listened as her tiny feet moved away from the door, the monster inside him screaming that he shouldn't be telling her to stay away, that he should let her inside, that he should fucking pull her into this shower and have her.

Images of Adrianna wet and moaning moved through his mind, images so vivid he could almost feel her against him, kissing his skin, biting his neck-

His fist shot out, slamming into the tiles, cracking them. The pain that shot through his hand won over his lust for a moment, helping in a way.

But not for long.

By the time he held his hand underneath the cold water that was pouring all over him, she was already front and center in his mind again.

Realizing a shower did nothing to still his desire for the girl in the next room, he dried himself off and then sat down on the edge of the bathtub, his fingers buried in his hair. How had this situation gotten so out of his control? All he'd wanted was some time alone with his woman and now, he was going to have to pretend to be best friends with a fucker who clearly wanted some time alone with his woman as well. Just thinking about Ryder made his caveman tendencies bubble up underneath the surface. He'd never been a jealous guy. Hell, when he'd only had Adrianna in his dreams, he'd been convinced that she was out here in the real world, having relationships with other men. He hadn't liked the idea, but it had been an abstract notion. Now that he was actually here with her, whenever he saw a man just _looking_ at Adrianna the wrong way, all he wanted to do was beat their heads in with a rock before throwing her over his shoulder and having his way with her.

Sighing, he slipped on his boxers and took a deep breath before heading back into the bedroom.

 _Please, be asleep. P_ _lease, just be-_

He let out a mental sigh when he saw her sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"I told you to go to sleep," Hades rumbled.

"I'm not tired," she smiled, her eyes running down his bare chest. "Are you?"

"Go to sleep, Adrianna."

"It's morning."

"It's three-thirty. That doesn't constitute as _morning_ "

"I already slept."

"Barely."

"I'm _really_ not tired."

"Sleep anyway."

She laughed, shaking her head. "So dominant."

 _Oh, Cara…you have no idea._

Distracting himself from where his mind was going, he moved to his side of the bed, pulling the sheets back.

"Fine," she sighed, getting up. "You want me to sleep? I'll sleep."

"Good. I'm glad you're finally listening to reas-" he trailed off when she popped a button of her shirt.

"What are you doing?" he growled.

"I can't very well sleep in my clothes, now can I?"

Another button.

 _Fuck._

His boxers suddenly feeling way too tight, he spit out, "You can sleep in your shirt."

"Well, it's not _my_ shirt. It's yours. An it looks like it cost quite a penny-"

"It did," he snapped. "But I say it's fine. Sleep in it."

She sniffed, shaking her head. "I can't possibly, silly."

He watched, powerless, as the shirt slowly slipped open until it fell into a pool of fabric by her feet.

And then, she just stood there, naked, her gaze sliding down his body. Those damned eyes felt like a hand stroking down his abs, down his dick, making him burn even more.

"I have more self-control than you think, Cara," he lied, his voice as tight as his boxers.

 _Fuck._

 _Yes!_ his monster snarled. _Please, fuck!_

Silence spread between them, thick and more impenetrable by the minute. Every muscle in his body ached as if he'd spiked a fever, stress coiling tighter and tighter inside him with each passing second. God, he yearned for a release, but a repeat of tonight couldn't happen. Not yet. Not now. She wouldn't admit it, but she needed rest.

"Lucian…"

His name, barely a breath of air on her lips, echoed in the silence of the room. He wasn't entirely sure she even knew she'd spoken, but fuck, he liked it. He would never get tired of hearing her call his name like that. So desperate. Especially not as he drilled so deep inside of her she forget anything but his name, moaning, clawing at his back, tightening around his dick as she came again and again and-

 _Fuck it._

His resilience _snapped_ and before he could stop himself, he was stalking towards her.

His eyes held hers, determined, ready to-

The loud, shrill sound of his cellphone penetrated his madness, his feet halting at once.

Adrianna let out an exasperated sigh, but Hades thanked the gods for the interruption. If that damned device hadn't rang…

"What?" His voice was still filled to the brim with lust and anger, but the voice on the other end of the line wasn't exactly chipper either.

"Nox?"

He recognized that voice, but couldn't immediately place it. Not until the woman said,

"This is Lucian Nox, right? The man who basically stole my Gomorrah Codex?"

 _Margaret Grace._

"I didn't steal anything," Hades snapped back, watching Adrianna's eyebrows pull together in a frown as she picked up the shirt again, hiding that delicious body of hers from his sight. "I made a deal-"

"-with Adrianna," she pointed out. "Not with me." He could hear her take a deep breath before she said in a calmer voice, "Speaking off, I've been trying to reach her, but I think her phone's dead or something because I can't seem to get a hold of her and I _really_ need to speak to her. Do you have any idea where she might be or-"

"She's right here."

"She is?"

The witch was clearly shocked by his answer, but Hades didn't go into it, instead handing the phone over to Adrianna. "It's your witchy friend."

"Maggie?" she sang, a sweet sparkle replacing the lust in her eyes.

She grabbed the phone and cradled it to her ear, grinning. "Mags? Is that you? Thank God, I-"

He could her the witch cut Adrianna off, making her smile falter.

"I know," she whispered, sighing. "Maggie, please, just try to understand-"

She was cut off again and even though Hades felt like giving the witch an earful for whatever it was that she was saying that made Adrianna's shoulders slump, he figured she'd rather have some privacy. So, instead of ripping the phone from her fingers, he slipped out of the room, heading straight for his pool again.

* * *

"Maggie, please, I get it, but-"

"You get it?! You get that I'm _furious_ at you for asking your brother to kidnap me from my own home?!"

"I didn't ask him to kidnap-"

"He threw me over his shoulder and carried me out, locked me in a car and didn't stop driving for two days straight! How is that not kidnapping?"

 _Damn it, Killian._

"Okay, he's not exactly Mister Tact, but he did it to protect you. Didn't you get my messages?"

"Messages? What messages?"

"I left you a bunch of voicemails."

"Oh, you mean on my phone?! The phone your brother threw out the window of his car?! His _moving_ car?!"

Adrianna sighed, slumping down on the edge of the bed.

"He actually did that?"

"Yes! He's a brute!"

"Like I said, he's only trying to protect you-"

"-from Rodchenko?! Yeah, Killian said you think he was after _me_ when he killed Lana, but even if that's true, it's a bit overkill to appoint your vampire brother as my bodyguard! Rodchenko is just one man!"

"One man I can't catch! One man who has a vendetta against me! He's dangerous!"

"And I'm a witch!"

"So was Lana!"

"She wasn't a born witch, like me! _I_ can protect myself!"

"I can't take that risk."

Another moment of silence. Maggie was trying to stay calm…something she wasn't very good at. "Are you even close to getting this guy-" she hissed. "-or should I prepare for the possibility that I'll spend the rest of my life with your Neanderthal of a brother?!"

"I'm working on it. Gabriel is surveilling Rodchenko every night, searching for a mistake, a slip up- "

"Gabriel? Gabriel Vasquez?"

"Yes."

"So _you're_ not even working on this thing? You've outsourced it?!"

"I have no choice right now. I'm working on this case that will get me my badge back, which means I'll have more resources to go after Rodchenko-"

"Adrianna, come on! This is ridiculous! Just tell your brother to let me come back! You're the only one who could call him off and I-"

"No."

An icy silence fell and Adrianna knew exactly what Maggie looked like in that moment. Nostrils flaring, face red, her eyes narrowed into slits.

"I'm sorry, Maggie, but it's not safe yet."

"This is bullshit! I can't stay with your brother any longer, Adrianna!"

"He's not _that_ bad."

That silence fell again, but this time, it felt…sadder. Somehow.

"You're really not going to help me?!" She hissed after a long moment.

"I _am_ helping you."

"You know what I mean!"

She ran a hand through her curls, shaking her head. "You're safest with Killian. I'm sorry, but-"

The line was cut abruptly and Adrianna stared at the blank screen, her heart aching. She hated that Maggie was miserable, but she'd hate it more if Rodchenko ever got his hands on her. She was doing the right thing.

But that didn't sooth her guilt.

She wanted to hit redial, but the number Maggie had called her with was labelled private. Killian's phone, no doubt.

Rubbing her eyes, she buried her face in her hands, sighing…until the cell phone rang again.

Private number.

"I'm going to ask you something," her friend said as soon as she'd picked up.

Adrianna frowned. "Okay."

"And even though this has nothing to do with the crap you're pulling on me, I need you to understand that this doesn't mean I'm not angry at you anymore! Got it? I'm still pissed!"

"Okay. Still pissed. Got it. What's your question?"

There was a little pause and then, her friend asked, "What are you doing with Lucian Nox at barely four in the morning?"

Blood rushed to her cheeks again, coloring them bright red. She knew Maggie couldn't see her blush and yet, her friend seemed to know the answer to her own question immediately.

"Oh. My. God! Did it finally happen? Did you finally pop that cherry?"

"Shhhhh, Maggie! Killian-"

"He's not here."

"He's not? Where is he?"

"Don't try to change the subject, missy!"

 _Missy._ She grinned. God, she'd missed talking to her friend.

"You slept with Lucian Nox?"

She bit her lip. "Yes."

"But, the last time we saw each other, you hated him, didn't you? You didn't even want to talk about him."

Adrianna laughed. It felt like a lifetime ago that she'd sat in that garden with Maggie, her heart broken, his mere name bringing tears to her eyes. Everything was so different now, so much better.

"I know," Adrianna smiled, tucking a curl behind her ear. "It's a long story."

"Is it? Long?" She could almost see her eyebrows wiggle.

"Mags, come on," she whispered, blushing an even deeper crimson.

"What?" she snickered. "I don't get any details? Do you have any idea how I've been looking forward to this day?! I can finally talk sex with you!"

"Finally? Every other word that comes out of your mouth is about sex!"

"Yes, but now, we can share experiences! How was it? Did it suck? It sucked, right? Don't let it discourage you! The first time is always-"

"It was perfect."

"It was?!"

She laughed at Maggie's shocked response. "Yes, it was. Lucian was...amazing."

"So, it didn't hurt?"

"At first, sure, but after a while, all I felt was-" she trailed off, the blush from her cheeks trickling down to her neck.

"That good, huh?"

Adrianna sniffed, remembering how he'd felt inside her, kissing her, touching her. " _Good_ doesn't even begin to cover it."

"God, I hate you. Of course you lose your virginity like in a damned fairytale."

A fairytale? She seriously doubted _any_ Disney prince would've taken her the way Lucian had...

"I guess good things really _do_ come to those who wait," Maggie continued, adding on a mumble, "And fickle, hard-headed bastards come to those who don't."

Adrianna frowned, but before she could ask what she was talking about, she heard a door open on the other end of the line and a familiar voice boomed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Is that _my_ phone?!"

 _Killian…_. _I think._

She recognized her brother's commanding tone but there was a slur in his words she'd never heard before. He almost sounded…drunk. But Killian _never_ got drunk. He was too big of a control freak to ever allow himself to become intoxicated. Still, she could've sworn…

"It's just _one_ call!" Maggie snapped.

"One call could be enough to tip of Rodchenko! The GPS-"

"Oh, my God, shut up about the damned GPS!"

There was a loaded pause and Adrianna just knew they were glaring at each other.

"Who are you calling?"

Killian's voice was calm now, but she recognized that tone. She'd been on the receiving end of it more than once. When her brother got calm, you knew you were in trouble.

"It's your sister, if you must know.".

"My sister?! Margaret, seriously, are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?! Is that what you're doing?!"

"Do you see what I have to deal with?" her friend hissed in the phone.

"Do you really think Rodchenko isn't tapping Adrianna's phone?" Killian continued, angry. "Why don't you just post your location on that Book-thing!"

"Book-thing?" Maggie let out a short little laugh. "Do you mean Facebook?"

"Hang up the fucking phone!"

"Oh relax, we're not even talking over Adrianna's cell! We're using Nox's phone."

Adrianna groaned, her entire face turning bright red.

"Nox?!" her brother snarled on cue. "What the fuck is my sister doing with Lucian Nox in the middle of the-"

Adrianna hung up, as if that would somehow undo the damage... But it was already too late. Her brother wasn't an idiot. He would put two and two together and figure out the answer to his own question any second now…

Groaning, she went into the bathroom to splash a handful of cold water in her face. Rationally, she knew her brother would've found out at some point that she'd lost her virginity, but she'd preferred it to happen a little later in the game.

Like, on her deathbed.

Staring at herself in the mirror, she let out a sigh. She looked exhausted. And could anyone blame her? She had a lot on her mind, things more important than her brother finding out she'd had sex. So, she decided to let it go. For now. Besides, there was nothing she could do about it anyway. The cat was out of the bag. And maybe it was a good thing that Killian had found out while he was miles and miles away. That way, by the time he brought Maggie back, he'd hopefully cooled down a bit.

Stretching lazily, she made her way back into the bedroom, smiling when she found Lucian lying in the bed, his arms folded behind his head.

"Hello, detective," he rumbled.

Adrianna smiled. "Hello, mister Nox."

His eyes ran down her body, making her skin sizzle. "Have I told you how beautiful you look wearing my shirt?"

She let her eyes dance down as well, drinking in his bare chest. "Have I told you how beautiful _you_ look _without_ your shirt?"

He laughed, patting the mattress beside him…and that was all the invitation she needed. Grinning, she tiptoed to the bed and slipped under the sheets. She'd barely laid down or his arm slipped underneath her, pushing her closer until she was snuggled into his side.

"Is everything okay between you and your friend?"

She shrugged, her fingers tracing his collarbone absentmindedly. "Yes. Maggie's mad at me, but I expected as much."

"You did the right thing. Rodchenko would've kept coming after her."

Adrianna made a sound in agreement, burying her nose in the crook of his neck.

"You know, it's not too late for _us_ to run too," he rumbled, making her lips curl against his skin. "We could leave Rodchenko and Ryder's thief behind us and just drive. You, me, the open road. It would be nice."

"It would be perfect."

"But there's no way in hell you'd agree to that, right?"

She looked up at him, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," he sighed, his fingers slowly sifting through her hair. "Your friend doesn't like me very much, does she?"

Adrianna frowned at the unexpected question, looking up into his grey eyes. "Since when does Lucian Nox care whether people like him or not?"

"I don't. But I care what _you_ think and she's your best friend."

Smiling, she pressed a kiss to his chin. "You just got off on the wrong foot. She'll come around once she gets to know you."

"I wouldn't be so sure. I'm kind of an asshole."

"Kind of?"

He laughed again, his chest bouncing underneath her hand. God, she loved that sound…

"By the way, how did Margaret get my number?"

"She was using my brother's phone."

"Okay, so, how did _your brother_ get my number?"

She sniffed, resting her ear over his heart. "He's probably had your number since the day he met you. It's what Killian does. When I was a freshman in high school, I was once dumb enough to mention to my family that I liked this boy. By the time I left for school the next morning, my brother somehow knew more about him than I did."

"What happened to the boy?"

"He started dating this really cute cheerleader," she yawned. "And never gave me the time of day."

"Idiot."

"No, he was nice. I think they got married and had a bunch of kids after high school," she whispered, the slow, steady rhythm of his heart lulling her to sleep. "A normal life."

She could feel his lips on her hair, his fingertips tracing the curve of her ear as he whispered from somewhere far away. "Go to sleep, love."

"Mmmmmmm," she murmured.

The last thing she heard before sleep took her was Lucian whispering he loved her and then, she let herself drift into oblivion.

She had no idea what was coming for her; what was coming for _him_. If she _had_ known, she would've changed her mind about running and left with Hades that very night. Not that it would've made a difference. There was nowhere to hide from the forces plotting against them, both human and divine; forces that wanted them apart and would stop at nothing to see their love destroyed.

But like I said, they had no clue.

So, they slept, happy and peaceful, unaware that it would all come to an end.

Soon.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"I hate this."

Adrianna sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, holding her new phone tighter. "I know. I hate it too."

"Then stop-"

"Lucian," she cut him off, knowing where he was going with this. "I'm not quitting this job. I can't. That animal is still out there and if I left now, there's no telling what he'd do."

"He would run with some money, that's it. Let him."

"He's not just some harmless thief. He hired men to kill me."

" _I remember, Cara_." Lucian's voice was sharp. "All the more reason to-"

"Do you realize we've been having the same conversation over the phone for days now? And it always ends the same. I win."

"You don't win. You hang up."

She laid down, smiling up at the ceiling. "Let's talk about something else. Please."

"Okay," he rumbled, his deep voice making her belly tingle. "Let's talk about the fact that I haven't seen you since that lunch three days ago. Is he doing this on purpose?"

Adrianna smiled. "No, this isn't Alexander's fault. He's just been swamped with work and he hasn't had time for any outing with his fiancée."

" _Fake_ fiancée," Lucian corrected on a growl.

She grinned. God, she loved his jealousy. " _Fake_ fiancée. Also, while we're on the subject of Alexander, _someone_ told him that I can't go to his office, which means I'm confined to this house with a stack of files and no one to talk to."

Lucian kept quiet, but she could almost see him running his hand through his thick hair, that guilty look in his beautiful grey eyes.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" she pushed.

He cleared his throat. "That house is protected by a dozen of my best men. They can cover every entry point."

"You can't keep me in a cage."

"Damn it Adrianna, t's not a-" He took a beat, calming himself down. "Ryder's office has too many unknowns. Not to mention that the man who tried to kill you is probably still in that building. I can't guarantee your protection there. Don't roll your eyes."

Adrianna sat back up, glancing around the room as if expecting him to step out of the shadows at any moment. When she didn't find him, she started looking for red blinking lights.

"Please don't tell me you have cameras in here."

"I don't."

"Then how did you know-"

"I know _you_ , Cara."

She swallowed hard, something between her legs suddenly throbbing.

"And I miss you." His confession was spoken roughly, his voice deeper than before. Had his mind gone where hers had gone? Or, where her mind had put up shop, to be more specific.

"I miss you too," she breathed. "Which is crazy since we talk pretty much every hour of every day. But I want more. I want you. Here. With me."

"Don't say that. Please."

"Why not?"

"Because it makes me want to-" The line went silent for a moment, only the sound of his breathing audible. His deep, laboured breathing.

"I miss your warmth against my skin," she whispered, unable not too. "I miss the way I feel when you touch me. I just-"

"Where are you?" He cut her off.

She frowned. "At Alexander's house. I told you."

" _Where_ in the house?"

 _Where is he going with this?_ "My bedroom."

"Are you dressed?"

Her heart fluttered at the question, that throbbing intensifying.

"Answer me," he growled. "Are you dressed?"

"Only in a shirt. Your shirt."

"My shirt?"

"The one I stole before I moved back in here."

"You stole my shirt?"

"Yes. I wanted your smell on me when I'm in bed."

More silence.

"Take it off, Salvatore."

 _Oh, God._

She did as he'd asked and when the shirt slipped down her body, she heard rustling on the other end of the line. He was undressing too. She couldn't stop herself from picturing him in his bed, the blankets tangled around him as his fingers found the part of him she craved most in that moment. Without meaning too, her hand slipped down her belly. When her cold fingers touched the heat between her legs, she stifled a moan, biting down on her lip.

"Are you touching yourself, Cara?"

She blushed, pulling her fingers back as if caught. "No."

"Don't lie."

 _God, that voice…_

"Are _you_?" she whispered, blushing crimson now.

"Lying?" She could tell by his tone that he was teasing her.

"No. You know what I mean."

"Say it."

She swallowed hard, closing her eyes as she blurted out, "Are you touching yourself?"

"Yes."

He'd said it without hesitation, without even a hint of shame.

"Touch yourself again, Cara."

She shook her head even though Lucian couldn't see it. She couldn't do this. She'd never done anything like this. Dirty talk seemed to come natural for Lucian, but it didn't to her. She was new to this whole thing.

"Pretend I'm there, Cara," he rumbled, somehow sensing her inhibition. "Pretend your hand is mine. Where do you want me to touch you?"

"On my breasts." It was out of her mouth before she knew it and the second she'd said it, her hand was there, _his_ hand was there, gripping her firmly.

"Lay down, put the phone on the pillow next to you. Do it now."

She followed his orders without hesitation this time.

"Are the lights out?"

"Yes," she answered, her voice edged with anticipation.

"Close your eyes."

"They're closed."

"Move your free hand to your hair."

She did.

"What does your hair feel like tonight, Adrianna?"

"It's soft. A little damp underneath from my shower."

"Is it down?"

"Yes."

He groaned. "One of my favourite things about you being under me is the way your hair looks spread across my pillow."

She moaned softly, his words making her stomach tighten. The air in her bedroom was cold, but it felt like every nerve was on fire, like her skin radiated heat. Her senses seemed amplified with only the sound and memory of him to focus on, recalling the texture of his hair, the feel of each muscle under her fingertips, the touch of his warm breath on her neck. Her pulse was racing out of control. Was his too? His erratic breathing made her believe it was.

"Move your hand from your hair to your other breast. Tell me how they feel."

"Warm…heavy. I wish you were here."

"I know, baby, so do I," She heard him swallow. "Are your nipples hard?"

"Yes."

"Imagine my mouth there. Remember how it feels when I take them between my teeth."

She gasped and he groaned in response. She imagined him in the moonlight as he touched himself, naked, hard for her. Every muscle in his body would be tense, his face contorted in lust and need as this fingers moved up and down.

"Lucian-" she breathed in a desperate plea.

"Open your legs for me, Adrianna."

She did, picturing him pushing her knees apart with his rough hands, moving on top of her, stretching her arms above her head as he pushed inside of her and hit that deep spot over and over again.

"Please, Lucian." Her voice sounded rough and dry, a note of desperation now colouring her tone. "Please, let me touch myself."

"Oh, _fuck_ ," he groaned, the sound of wood splintering barely registering with Adrianna as she squeezed her breasts tighter. "Baby, you have no idea what it does to me when you talk like that."

She had a pretty good idea.

"I'm so hard, Cara," he growled. "Not just now, but all the time. Ever since we made love…I'm always hard for you."

She let out something between a cry and a moan. "Lucian, please-"

"Move your hand to your pussy, baby."

She blushed, but did it without a second thought, screaming softy when her fingers finally touched that aching spot.

"Tell me what it feels like," he demanded, his voice barely human anymore.

"Warm. Slick."

He moaned and she closed her eyes at the sound, loving that she was doing this to him, that those sounds were for her alone.

" _Fuck, I want to be there with you_."

"What would you do to me?" The question was out of her mouth before she could think about it. Had she really asked that? A twinge of embarrassment broke through the lust, but Lucian answered without missing a beat, taking her back with him into the fantasy.

"I'd push you on your hands and knees and take you from behind."

Her fingers started to rub at the little knob that ached, moving in tandem with her hips.

"I'd smack your perfect ass and fuck you so hard you wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow."

"Yes," she moaned.

"Or maybe I'd lay you on the kitchen counter and bury my face between those long legs of yours."

His name fell from her lips in a breathy sigh, her imagination running wild as she heard him grunt louder and louder.

"Open your legs wider and make yourself come baby," he grunted. "Let me hear you. _Please_. I need to hear you."

She could sense the desperation in his voice. It matched her own. The pressure between her legs was building and this new urge to put her fingers inside herself grew stronger and stronger. She never used to have that. Not until she'd actually _had_ something inside. She just felt so empty now.

'I want you inside me."

He made a throaty sound that made her even wetter.

"I _am_ inside you, Cara," he snarled. "Can't you feel it? Can't you feel my cock moving in and out of you the way you like it. Hard. Deep."

"Yes!" she moaned, burying her screams in the pillow.

"No! Let me hear you!"

She obeyed, her fingers moving over her clit faster as she imagined him pumping inside her just as fast. His breath filtered through the speaker in shaky gasps, and indistinguishable words like ' _more_ ', ' _please_ ' and ' _close_ ' seemed to tumble from his lips.

His wanton pleas sent a shudder through her, the rhythm of her movements now frantic and disorganized. Rubbing faster, harder, she ached for release so much her body trembled. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face as she imagined his rough beard chafing her skin as he used her body.

"I'm coming," she moaned, throaty and deep. "Oh God, I'm…I…"

Her body tensed, her release shooting through her. Her whole body shook as she heard Lucian scream, imagining him on the bed again, back arched, his fingers around himself as his cock pulsed and released. She continued rubbing, listening to his laboured breathing as the last remnants of her orgasm shot through her.

"Jesus Christ, Cara," he panted.

She smiled, spent. Her whole body was flushed, glistening with a thin coat of sweat. "I think I need another shower."

He chuckled softly. 'Me too, baby. God, you're so fucking amazing."

She sighed, stretching lazily. "You're not so bad yourself, mister Nox."

"I need to see you."

She took the phone off speaker, holding it against her ear again. "I want nothing more, but you can't come here, Lucian. We've talked about this. If you come over here, people will talk. They'll think I'm having an affair and we can't have that. Everything needs to look like nothing has changed. Alexander's thief needs to belief that. It will rattle him."

"It hasn't so far."

Adrianna sat back up, knowing he was right. The first time she'd walked into Alexander's office, she'd expected to spot the guy who'd tried to kill her immediately. She'd expected someone to look shocked, maybe even make a run for it…or at least do _something_ suspicious. _Anything_. But no one had moved. So, she was back to digging into files and trying to find what she'd missed earlier.

"Besides," Lucian continued, his voice still raw. "Everyone believes I'm in business with Ryder now. It's in every paper. It won't look suspicious if I come over-"

"It will if Alex's not home. And he's never home these days."

"Then you come to me."

"How will that look any better? I have no business being in your house or penthouse or club without Alex."

"You're supposed to act as his fiancée, not his property. You're a free woman. You can do what you want."

"Yes, but the press won't see it that way. They'll run with the story that we're having an affair and then, _everyone_ will act weird around me and I'll never be able to distinguish _'she's cheating on my boss'_ -weird from ' _I tried to kill her and she's still alive'_ -weird."

He sighed. "I hate this."

"You've said so, yes. Repeatedly."

The line went silent for a while as Adrianna made her way to the bathroom.

"I'm going to find a way to see you. Without it looking suspicious."

She smiled. "I hope so. Until then…goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight, Cara."

She moved to end the call when his voice sounded through the speaker.

"Adrianna?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

She grinned, her heart speeding up again. "I love you, too."

"And I'll see you soon. Somehow." Lucian's voice was deeper now, lazy, relaxed. She heard his shoulder crack, as it did when he stretched.

"Sleep tight, sweetheart. Dream of me."

"Always."

* * *

"Stop fidgeting."

Adrianna's fingers stilled on her lap, but the butterflies in her stomach didn't let up. "Sorry. I'm just nervous."

"You don't say," Alexander laughed, shaking his head. "I don't think I've never seen you this excited. It's endearing."

She rolled her eyes, glancing out the window, watching the crowded streets pass. When they'd said goodbye the night before, Lucian had promised to find a way to meet up and she'd believed him. She'd heard the determination in his voice. She just hadn't expected him to work this fast. By noon, Alexander had showed up at the house, having received an invitation to an exclusive viewing of Boris Gerytof's private art collection. It was such an honour to be invited that Alexander had dropped his work and RSVP'd immediately. Adrianna had only been mildly enthusiastic…until she'd gotten a text from Lucian saying,

 _Wear a black dress. Nothing else._

She shifted in her seat, the sensation of being completely naked underneath her clothes new and tantalizing. The satin material of the gown felt warm and smooth against her, brushing her skin lightly with every move she made. She could already feel the darkness between her legs come to life and wondered if it was caused by the gown or the anticipation.

She was going to see him again.

Touch him.

"Are you blushing?"

Adrianna ran the back of her hands over her cheeks, swallowing hard. "No. It's just warm in here."

"Right, well, speaking of lies," He reached into his jacket, taking out a little blue box. "Your replacement ring, since you lost the first one."

"I didn't lose it. It was taken from me."

 _By a woman who was burned to a crisp with a bullet in her head._

Adrianna opened the box to distract herself, the diamond almost blinding her. "You know, this isn't a real engagement. You could've just bought me a fake ring."

"And what would it do to my reputation if someone found out? I don't do fake, Salvatore."

"This whole engagement is fake."

"Just put it on."

She smiled, slipping on the new ring. It felt heavy on her finger. Too heavy. If Lucian ever proposed to her she hoped he wouldn't buy her anything as flashy as-

 _Wait, what?_

She shook her head, trying to get it of the track it was on. She couldn't be thinking about her future with Lucian right now. About her birthday that was coming up and the choices she would have to make. No. Not tonight. And not for a long while after that. Once everything settled down and Ryder's thief was dealt with as well as Rodchenko then, and only then, would she let her mind go there. But not now. Not yet. She had enough to deal with.

"By the way, you might want to talk to Nox about his men," Alexander said annoyed as he shot a glance over his shoulder. "They're not exactly subtle."

Adrianna followed his gaze outside and sighed when she spotted the black Range Rover driving directly behind them. Four of Lucian's men were in there, the guards that never left her side. They were getting on Alexander's last nerve and Adrianna couldn't blame him. She didn't like being followed around either. But, they were all loyal to the man she loved, so she couldn't help but feel sympathy and gratitude towards them.

"We're here," Alexander announced as the car slowed.

Adrianna looked out the window to the majestic estate, her fingers wringing again.

She was going to see him again.

Finally.

* * *

Hades stood by the bar, nursing a glass of scotch. The crowd was growing by the minute, people feasting on champagne and canapés as a live band played soft music. The walls were covered in the most exquisite art, pieces a normal human would never get to see if they weren't here tonight…and yet Hades' eyes were glued to the arched entrance of the room, waiting.

 _Where is she?_

The invite had said nine p.m. and it was after nine-thirty. Sure, no one showed up to these things on time, but come on.

He checked his watch again, noticing how tightly his hands were fisted. Every muscle in his body had been like that since the night before. Since that phone call. Since she'd moaned and cried out for him-

His jaw tightening even more, he threw back the scotch.

 _You said you weren't going to make love to her again until a week had passed,_ a scorning voice in his head snarled. _It's been four days._

Slamming the crystal glass down, her ordered another hit without looking away from the entrance. He wasn't going to ravage her, he'd promised himself. He just had to see her, touch her, smell her. Surely, if he just saw her, the worst tension in his body would go away.

And then he saw her.

And he knew he was a fucking idiot.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, wearing the sexiest black dress ever made, taking his breath away. Satin hid her long legs from him, the material picking up a breeze from the open door, flowing around her, brushing over that curvy behind he loved. And when she took that fucker's arm and he led her deeper into the room, one of those perfect legs peeped out of a slit that stopped halfway up her thigh. The stilettos she was wearing made her legs seem even longer and even though the shoes looked incredibly uncomfortable, she didn't show it, walking in them with a grace some goddesses could learn a thing or two from. The satin skirt stopped at her waist, lace taking over to cover her muscled belly and those perfect breasts, at least for the most part. The dress' neckline was modest and left much to the imagination…but he didn't have to imagine what was underneath those swirls of black embroidment. He knew. He'd felt those breasts in his hands, kissed them, bitten them…

He tore his eyes away from her, trying to calm down the raging lust that was building in his chest and lower. He was so hard it was painful…and yet, he couldn't stop himself from looking back her way. He hadn't seen her in too fucking long. That mouth-watering silhouette, those tantalizing curls that fell down her back and shoulders, those plump pink lips…and those eyes.

Those blue, warm eyes. Finally touching his again.

He wanted to go to her, scoop her up in his arms and kiss her until they both ran out of breath…but he couldn't.

Because she was still pretending to be _his_.

Anger started to build in his chest, a primitive rage that pounded through his blood. But then he noticed Adrianna's hands wringing; the way she kept glancing his way as Ryder greeted people; the way she kept steering her fake fiancée towards him.

Her pleasure at seeing him made his chest swell. She'd missed him, too. Sure, she'd said so last night, but hearing and seeing were two different things. He couldn't see her eyes over the phone, the way they simmered to a slow burn. He couldn't see the blush that was building in her cheeks or the way her fingers clutched her dress as if to stop those sweet hands from reaching out for him. And that smile…Fuck, he definitely hadn't seen that smile. Which is why he was even more determined to go through with his plan. He hoped she wouldn't fight him. He hoped she would say yes.

A twinge of anxiety pinched him as he thought of the arrangements he'd made…behind her back. She would either love this or throw it back in his face. Either way, he had to try. He wasn't going to spend another night without her.

Frustrated, he watched her on his arm, wishing it was him who was showing her off, who could touch her without suspicion, would could whisper sweet nothings in her ear…and if they didn't hurry the fuck up, he was going to make his wish come true. How long could it take to cross a damn room? Did Ryder know every single person in here? He doubted it since he'd had to call in a favour to even get an invite out to Ryder. No, the bastard was just working the crowd, parading around with his beautiful fiancée. He had to know that wasn't the reason Hades had arranged for them to be here. Even Ryder could figure out why he'd wanted them to come. Was he keeping her away from him on purpose?

"For someone who got what he wanted, you don't seem very happy."

Boris Gerytof suddenly stood beside him, drink in hand. He hadn't even heard the man approach. He'd been too focused on his girl smiling, touching Ryder's arm…

"I'm fine," he said, hearing the angry undertone in his voice. "I'm just-"

"Preoccupied?"

Hades glanced at the wealthy aristocrat, finding him smiling.

"You know," the man continued. "At first, I didn't understand why you would want to invite this Ryder-character, but now, I see what peeked your… _interest_. For lack of a better term."

Hades straightened, taking another gulp from his scotch. "He's just someone I do business with. He wanted to be here, I hooked him up."

"You could've used that favour I owe you for anything and you decided to use it for a simple invite only to please a business partner?" Gerytof laughed. "I'm going to pretend to believe you, but just know that I wasn't born yesterday and-"

"Mister Gerytof?"

Hades looked away from the shut-in at Ryder's voice, every nerve in his body on fire when he saw his girl standing there, so fucking close that if he reached out he could touch her, pull her against his chest, bend her over the bar and-

"Mister Ryder," Gerytof cut his fantasy short, accepting the hand Ryder held out.

"It's such an honour to meet you, sir," Ryder brown-nosed.

Hades didn't hear the rest of the conversation, focusing solely on her. Adrianna was looking at their host, smiling and being polite, but he could see her blush trickle down her neck, goose bumps spreading all over her arms. She was focused solely on him too. She just hid it better.

When Ryder held out his hand for Hades, he shook it shortly and a little too hard.

"Nox," Ryder said, politely. "It's good to see you again."

"It's been too long," Hades almost snarled, shooting him a pointed look that made the man's Adam's apple bop. That fucker knew what he meant. If he kept her away from him for such a long time again, he was going to rip out that fucker's-

"I agree."

His rage was cut off abruptly when Adrianna's hand reached out, a nervous smile playing on those luscious lips. God, what would it feel like to have those wrapped around his-

"Mister Nox?" she said, a teasing tone to her voice as she held her hand closer.

J _ust shake her hand,_ he mentally snarled at himself. _Just shake. Don't-_

Every thought left him when he took her delicate hand in his and felt electricity racing through the tips off his fingers all the way down to his throbbing dick. He met her eyes and watched her pupils dilate right in front of him. She felt it too.

Before his mind could catch up with what his body was planning, he'd brought her hand to his lips, pressing one firm kiss against her soft skin. His lunges filled with the sweet scent of vanilla, making him lightheaded, taking him back to their morning spend in his bathtub, his fingers buried between her legs as she squirmed against him.

Pulling on every ounce of his strength, he somehow slowly peeled his lips away from her skin. His fingers brushed over the underside of her wrist, pride welling up in his chest when he felt her pulse pounding against his fingertips. Almost as erratic as his.

"Mister Nox tells me you work together," Gerytof spoke as Hades reluctantly let go of her hand. A hand she immediately balled up into a fist.

"Yes, sir."

"How did that come about, if you don't mind me asking," the man probed. "I mean, mister Nox is in clubs and hotels and you're in finances. How did you two cross paths?"

For a moment, Ryder's eyes met Hades'. They hadn't discussed a back-story. And they couldn't exactly tell the truth.

"Through me," Adrianna jumped in. "I'm a detective and a while ago, I had to consult Mister Nox on a case about fraud in one of his competitor's clubs. I needed some information about how the nightclub business works and mister Nox was kind enough to help me out." She shot Hades a little smile. "It was pretty boring, but that's how Alexander and mister Nox met."

His girl was quick on her feet.

"Wait a second, _detective Salvatore_?" Gerytof said, his eyes suddenly curious on Adrianna's. "Surely, you're not the same Salvatore who rolled up the Silva-Organization three years ago?"

Adrianna smiled. "One and the same, actually."

A little flicker of surprise crossed Gerytof's face…but no one was as surprised as Hades. What the hell was the Silva-Organization and how the fuck didn't he know about this? He used to think she told him everything when they met up in their dreams; her problems with her family, her job, the cases she was working on…

Although, come to think of it, there was _one_ other thing she'd never told him about either.

"Was this the case where you got shot?"

The question was out of Hades' mouth before he could stop himself.

"You got shot?" Gerytof asked as Adrianna touched her belly, touching her scar. It didn't seem like she realized she was doing it, but he knew the tiny mark was there.

"It wasn't a big deal," she said dismissively. "The bullet went straight through. No harm no foul."

 _No harm, no foul?_

Gods, it pissed him off when she did that. Had she no regard for her own life? Didn't she understand how fucking precious it was? Especially to him?

He wanted to punish her for acting so blasé about something that could've killed her. He wanted to take her over his knee and spank that perfect ass of hers until she would understand what she meant to him, what it would do to him if he lost her.

He finished his scotch as Gerytof complimented her stupidity and praised her for becoming the youngest detective in the history of their town because of it. Big fucking deal if this case had almost gotten her killed!

When he put the glass down on the bar a little too roughly, Adrianna's gaze crossed his again and he could tell she saw his dark intentions. It didn't scare her, though. On the contrary. He could see her blush deepen.

The anger in his chest mixed with that new sense of possessiveness as he watched that blush trickle down her neckline. Punishing her moved to the back of his mind as desire took centre stage again. The need to hold her, press her against his chest so tightly he could feel that precious heartbeat, was now all he could think about. He just had to feel her, taste her, kiss those amazing-

"Mister Gerytof," Adrianna's voice broke through, her tone a touch flirty. "I know it's incredibly rude, but is there a quiet place where I could make a quick phone call? I need to check in with my sergeant about a case."

No male would've been able to get away with what she was asking…but looking the way she did, it didn't even occur to Gerytof to mind.

"Off course, miss," the man said, gesturing to the arched hallway. "At the end of this hall, go left, then right and on the fourth door to your left you'll find my study. It's at your disposal."

She shot him a radiant smile…and then glanced at Hades.

As if he didn't know what she was doing.

He watched Adrianna leave-one of his guards following her-catching the sway of her hips.

He waited two whole minutes after she'd left before he excused himself. He could tell that Ryder knew what was happening, but the bastard was so busy sucking up to their host that he didn't say a word.

Hades had to stop himself from running as he followed Gerytof's directions to his study but he had no choice. There were people in every hall, watching the paintings that were on display. He couldn't draw too much attention to himself.

It seemed to take forever, but finally, he spotted the door. Through the frosted glass, he could see a dim orange light on inside, but nothing else. Still, he knew she was there. And not just because her guard stood outside the door. He could _feel_ her.

"You can go," he growled at the broad man.

He left without hesitation, no questions asked. He knew better than to second-guess his boss.

A fire blazing in his chest, he opened the door and moved inside.

A desk. That's all Hades got to see of the room before he was pushed back against the door and her soft, warm body was pressed against him. She invaded his mouth, her boldness making his groin swell and his heart pound with sudden urgency. Fuck, he loved her like this. Free. Feral. She didn't care that there were people on the other side of the door she'd just locked. Neither did he. They could all go to hell. All that mattered to him was right there, in that room, safe in his arms. She clawed at his neck, his tongue slipping inside her mouth, demanding with an urgency he'd never felt before. Suddenly, Hades understood why people described kissing as melting because every square inch of his body dissolved into her. Her fingers gripped his hair, pulling him closer. His veins throbbed and his heart exploded. He'd never wanted anyone like this before and he would never want anyone else again. He hadn't wanted anyone else since he'd seen her in that vision thousands of years ago. How could he? She was perfect, created for him.

Softly growling, he pushed her backwards until her ass hit the desk. She jumped on the thing without a second's hesitation, opening her legs. He slipped between her thighs, the satin forming a barrier between them he wouldn't stand for long.

"God, I missed you," she managed between the frantic movements of their lips.

Her simple words sparked something raw and primal in his chest.

Her body trembled against him as he ran his lips down her neck, the friction and that heated look in her blue eyes making his dick twitch painfully. He knew he should let her go, walk back in that hallway and look at some fucking art until his dick calmed the fuck down and he could think again…but he had too little blood in his brain to make a rational decision like that, to think about the consequences of what his body begged him to do. It had all pooled south, to the part of him that felt like it was on fire. Fuck, he had to release this tension. He _had_ to, before he snapped. He should go home or to a bathroom, pull himself off and then fucking pull himself together…but then, her body arched against him, putting those perfect breast on display and he knew he would never leave that room without taking something. Groaning, he crashed his lips back into hers and thrust his fingers in her hair.

 _This isn't the time,_ the last remains of his common sense offered. _Or the place._

 _Fuck off._

He pushed his tongue between her lips and into the depths of her mouth, sliding along hers. She groaned, a deep sound that seemed strange coming out of the petite woman pressed against him. But he loved it. Fuck, did he love it. It meant she desired him, that she craved him as much as he craved her.

Growling, he slipped his hand between her trembling legs and groaned into her mouth when his fingers touched bare skin. Warm, wet bare skin.

 _Where a black dress. Nothing else._

She'd obeyed him.

 _Fuck_.

His cock throbbed against his zipper, begging to be let out…and she must've heard it somehow, her nimble fingers moving down to his belt. His heart thundered in his chest, his instincts coming alive as if he were in battle. He could hear the breath leave her lips, her heart as it pumped, her blood as it flowed. He should go. He should leave her alone.

The few drops of blood that were still left in his brain kicked into gear as his belt fell loose and she moved to his zipper. Before he knew what the fuck he was doing, he'd grabbed her wrists, holding them tightly.

Her confused, heated eyes bore into his, her lips slightly open as she whimpered softly.

He wanted to explain why he'd stopped her…but then she bit that bottom lip of hers and all he could think was,

 _More._

It had been so long. Too long. Maybe if he'd seen her every day since they'd made love, he wouldn't be in this state. If he'd been able to be with on a daily basis, kiss her, hold her, he surely would've had more control. But it had been three days. Three days of missing her, fantasizing about what it would be like to have her beneath him again…

His fingers tightening around her wrists, one of those fantasies in particular popping up in his head…and he just couldn't stop himself. He'd thought about it for too long, imagined having her that way.

The sounds she'd make.

Her taste.

Before he could think better of it, he dropped to his knees, his hand pushing down on her belly until she laid flat on her back.

Resisting the urge to grab that slit in her pretty dress and rip the damn thing off her, he instead slid the satin up her legs and fisted it by her thighs. He didn't want anything in his way.

Her legs dangled over the desk, trembling as she panted. She didn't ask him what he was doing. She knew.

With his free hand, he grabbed one of her ankles and placed her heeled foot on his shoulder. The stiletto immediately dug into him and that was a good thing too. The sting was the only thing keeping him from losing his damn mind altogether when he moved in on that sweetness between her legs and her scent overtook him, making him disappear in a haze of pure desire.

For a moment, he just watched her, breathed her in a she squirmed on the desk. God, she was so responsive, so damned sensitive.

"Have you ever been kissed here, Cara?"

She moaned, her hair rustling on the desk. Had she shaken her head? Fuck, he hoped so. He couldn't stand the idea of anyone having her like this. Or any other way, for that matter.

His chest tightening, he blew against her core, a little scream escaping her lips.

"I asked you a question."

"No," she breathed in a raw voice. "Never."

 _Thank the fucking gods._

That dark possessiveness returned to settle in his chest and then, he grabbed her hips and pulled her against his mouth, tasting her for the very first time.

And almost unloading in his fucking pants.

She tasted as delicious as he'd thought she'd taste…and then some. He'd done this with her before, in their dreams, repeatedly, but just as making love to her was a million times better than in their imagination, this was better than anything he could've ever come up with.

His hands went from her hips to that perfect ass of hers as she arched of the desk, pressing herself closer against him. He drove his tongue deeper inside of her, her fingers reclaiming his hair in her fists.

He glanced up at her and the sight almost uncaged his monster. Her body was barely touching the desk anymore, every muscle in her body drawn tight. Her curls were a wild mess, tangled around her face and her eyes were pressed shut as hard and tight as she was pulling on his hair.

His girl needed to come. And he wanted her to. Gods, did he want her to. Giving that woman pleasure was the first addiction he'd ever had.

Growling, he tugged at her clit with his teeth, making her hiss obscenities under her breath as her heel dug deeper into his shoulder.

She was ready.

More than ready.

Burying his fingers deeper into the soft cheeks of her ass, he sucked her clit in his mouth, flicking his tongue over it again and again and again.

"Ohgodnogodyesgooooooodddddd!"

She fell apart around him, throbbing against his tongue in release, her hands pressing his face flush against her pussy as she came. He growled into her, marveling in the way she rocked herself against him, riding out her orgasm, taking what she needed. He let her, continuing to lick her, drink her in as she came down from her high.

When her grip on his hair finally lessened and she laid flat on the desk again, Hades reluctantly released his mouth from her, standing up. She looked at him with hooded eyes, her breath coming out in little puffs, her skin warm and flushed-

He was on the other side of the room before he knew it, his muscles flexing, trying to work off the burn. It had been hard enough to keep his body in check before he'd put his mouth on her. Now that his tongue knew her taste, his spine was on fire, the burn spreading out to every muscle he had. His skin tingled all over, itching so badly he wanted to take sandpaper to it. As he rubbed his thighs, his hands shook uncontrollably. Gods, he had to get away from the scent of her sex. The sight of her. The knowledge that he could take her right now and she'd let him.

"Are you okay?"

 _No, I'm fucking dying._

"Lucian?"

"I'm fine," he lied, his voice raw as he kept his eyes down.

"Are you sure?"

His hands tightened into fists. Fuck, she was so damn sweet…

He could hear the rustle of her dress as she stood up from the desk. When he heard her heels click, his eyes snapped up. "Don't move."

She stopped at once, her beautiful face a picture of worry. But that flush was still there. She'd obviously been satisfied. He, however, was still throbbing, his erection a painful, rigid length straining against his fly.

"Are you running away for me?" It was mostly a question. Only a little bit of a taunt. And that teasing tone to her voice made him even harder.

"Careful, Adrianna," he growled.

"Why?"

"I'm about to crack over here."

He could see the decision in her blue eyes before she realized she'd made it and then, she was coming towards him.

"Salvatore-"

She didn't heed his growled warning and Gerytof's office was only so big. He had nowhere to run.

Her hand landed squarely on his chest, right above his heart, making the damn organ triple its pace. Hades closed his eyes, getting trapped between the pleasure of her touch and the reality that he was flirting with disaster. The vibration, the burning, it was all rising, called out of the darkest, most destructive core of him.

"Your heart is racing. You're not scared of me, are you?"

He shot her a sharp look. She shouldn't play games with him. Not now.

"Tell me what's wrong," she sang. "Don't you like the dress?"

He inhaled through his teeth as she stepped into his body, his eyes involuntarily dipping to her neckline.

"No, you like the dress," she continued her torture, her palm running down his spine. "And it can't be my hair. I know you like it loose. "

His eyes blazed, dark hunger curling in his gut, cramping up his stomach as hazy images of her in his bed flooded his mind. Her curls running through his fingers as he took her; fawned out on his sheets; brushing over his chest…

He stopped breathing, his skin feeling like shrink-wrap. He tried to push back the memories, but there were too many and she smelled too damn good.

Frozen in place, unable to breath, he prayed for self-control.

"Then tell me what's wrong," she breathed, her fingers curling in his shirt. "Tell me why you look ready to bolt even though you clearly want to-"

"Three more days." He'd somehow pushed the words out of his mouth, but they tasted foul on his tongue. His monster clawed against his chest, calling him every name in the book and he couldn't blame it. He hated himself, too.

"What?" she snickered, frowning.

When he didn't speak, comprehension made her smile drop. "Lucian, please tell me you're kidding and you're not still on that."

" _That_ being _insisting you're healed before I make love to you again_?" he gnarled. "Yes, I'm still on _that_."

She sniffed, her jaw tight.

"Don't give me that look, Cara. I'd rather be with you, too. Not being inside of you is torture. I wasn't you so badly I can't stand it. But I can't have you. I _won't_ have you. Not here. Not now. Not yet."

She sighed, her hand on his chest moving up to his hair, his skin burning. "You don't have to suffer. I'm fine. I'm healed. I'm ready."

He swallowed hard. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to believe her so badly…

"So, if I stripped off that little dress of yours-" he said hoarsely. "-and checked your back, there would be nothing to see there?"

"No."

Hades hadn't missed the split second of hesitation.

She was lying to him.

"Would you like to rethink that answer?"

She raised her chin, as if daring him to call her a liar.

 _Stubborn little minx_.

In a move that made a gasp escape her perfect mouth, he turned her around. Her sweet little ass brushed over his erection, making him hiss under his breath.

 _Just bend her over. One little push against her back and she'd be positioned perfectly for you to slide your-_

Holding back his demon, he went to work on the delicate buttons of her lace bodice, watching as her back was slowly revealed; a back that wasn't even close to healed yet.

 _What happened to her?_

He knew she was a quick healer, just like her mother had been. A Crescător may not have had the strength of a vampire, but her cells regenerated almost as quickly. It was an evolutionary plus to protect her precious body from harm. So for her to still bear the marks of whatever had happened four nights ago meant it must've been something serious. Something a regular human wouldn't have walked away from. If only she would talk to him… He'd tried to bring up the subject a few times during their many phone calls over the past few days, but she kept avoiding anything that had to do with the night she'd been taken. The last time she'd talked about it had been in his bathtub, when she'd told him she'd escaped the trunk of that car when the driver had lost control of the wheel. He _knew_ there was more to the story, though. There had to be. When he'd seen the car it had been a burned, twisted heap of metal. If she'd been in that trunk when it had crashed, she'd be dead.

"Would you like to rethink your answer now?" he growled, the anger in his veins building at the thought of what could've happened.

She turned, that stubborn fire still in her eyes. "Fine, so they're not completely gone yet, but I was just on my back when you-" She blushed that innocent colour of hers, her eyes dropping for a split second. "- _did what you did_ and it didn't hurt, so I don't see why-"

He blew out his breath. "Three days, Cara. At least."

"At least? You mean, it could be _longer_?"

He would've laughed at her horrified tone, but the hot pump between his legs sucked the humor right out of him.

"Adrianna, you're not ready for-"

She groaned loudly, stepping away from his aching body to snatch her clutch of the desk "I'm not having this patronizing conversation again."

In wide strides, she stalked toward the door. Her gown was still undone, her breasts bouncing beneath the lace. She wasn't wearing a bra either, just as he'd asked. To which purpose he'd asked he had no idea now. He was probably just a masochist.

"Let me button you up," he rumbled, suddenly feeling like an asshole. He hated denying her anything. Especially something he craved equally as much. But he had to. For her.

"No. Don't bother," she hissed over her shoulder. "I'll ask Alexander to help me with my dress. Maybe to help me out of it."

He winced as if she'd slapped him across the face. "That's not funny."

"Who's being funny?!"

His nostrils flaring, he flung forward, ripped her clutch from her hands and tossed it on the floor. She watched him wide-eyes, but there wasn't any fear in her beautiful blue eyes. Just anger and, _fuck him_ , lust.

"You think I'd let anyone else touch you?"

She shoved at his chest, but he didn't move an inch. "Go away! I hate you for thinking I'm some frail little puppet!"

He grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the door. When she squirmed, he pressed his body against hers, feeling himself swell against her belly. Fuck, this shouldn't be turning him on so much. He was such a fucking sick bastard.

"You don't hate me," he whispered, his eyes fixed on hers. "You love me, baby. And I don't think you're some frail little puppet. You're the strongest women I've ever met in my entire existence-"

"Then why-"

"Because you have no idea how _badly_ I want you."

Her blush deepened, her eyes dipping down to where their bodies met. "I have a pretty good idea."

"No, you _don't_ ," he barked. "We made love _one_ time, Cara, and it took _all_ of my strength to hold back."

"I didn't _want you_ to hold back."

He sniffed, his forehead dropping to her shoulder. Fuck, why did she say shit like that? "Yes, you did. It was your first time. If I'd let go completely, I would've hurt you."

"You let go at some point."

"But never completely," he remembered, burying his nose in the hollow of her neck, breathing her in. He shouldn't be talking about the sex he'd had with her. Not with her body mere inches from his. This was already hard enough as it was. _Everything_ was already hard enough. "The next time I'm inside you, I won't be able to control myself, Cara. I can already feel it. I want you so fucking bad. All of you. Hard. As fucking hard as I can have you. Not just once but for hours and hours until you're so spend you collapse with me still buried in you."

He felt her shiver against him, out of fear or desire, he wasn't sure. Gods, he hoped the latter. He couldn't stand it if she feared him.

When he dared to meet her eyes again, he prayed he wouldn't find rejection there.

And he didn't.

Not even a hint of it

All he saw was a love and desire that matched his own.

"I want your body to be ready, Cara," he said gentler, releasing her wrists. "Please, just wait three more days for me. Just for my own peace of mind. I would hate myself if I put you through pain just to satisfy my own carnal desire for you."

There was a long silence. She broke it.

"Tell me again that you're miserable we're not sleeping together," she said dryly.

"I'm utterly miserable. Hard all the time. Distracted. And pissed off."

"Good." She smiled and he felt a weight being lifted from his heart. What was it about that smile?

"Okay fine. I get it. But three days is the max, though. No longer, no matter what. Deal?"

He wanted to argue, but when she cocked an eyebrow, he knew he should compromise on this one.

"Deal."

She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you, honey."

He smiled. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought anyone would call him something as sweet as _honey_. Especially not Adrianna. Gods, he didn't deserve her.

"I love you."

Her smile turned warmer as she rubbed her nose against his. "I love you, too."

She kissed him then, almost chaste. She was no longer trying to torture him. Not purposely, that was. That body of hers pressed against his still turned him back into a live wire and chaste or not, kissing Adrianna Salvatore was always a turn-on.

When she let go of his lips, he picked up her clutch and held it out for her. Just when she reached for it, he pulled it back a little, rumbling, "So, just to be clear, you _wouldn't_ let Ryder undress you?"

She sniffed, shaking her head with a delicious hint of disgust in her eyes. "Off course not."

He felt the breath ease out of him as she grabbed the clutch with a smile.

"I was just trying to-"

"-have me kill Ryder?"

She grinned. "Make you jealous."

 _Mission accomplished._

"Speaking of Alex, we should probably get back inside before anyone figures out what we're doing in here."

Hades smiled, brushing his fingers over her cheek. "If no one has figured it out already."

She frowned.

"You're quite the screamer, Cara."

Just as he'd hoped, her skin warmed under his fingers, her eyes dropping…landing on the part of him that was screaming too.

"You know, I could-" her blush deepened even more as she trailed off, not meeting his gaze.

"You could _what_ , baby?" he asked, curiosity pulling at his brows.

When she didn't immediately answer, he lifted her chin with his finger, forcing her to look at him.

"Tell me."

She swallowed hard. "Help you. With-" She trailed off again, her eyes dropping back to his crotch.

 _Fuck. Me._

 _She did not just suggest-_

"I mean, you did it for me so it's only fair."

Hades saw double, his heart kicked so hard. As he blew out a lungful of hot air, he was sure his head was going to explode. Fantasies of Adrianna on her knees filled his mind, her lips wrapped around him; his fingers clutching her hair as her head moved back and forth-

 _Calm. The. Fuck. Down._

His groan shattered the silence in the room.

She watched him with confused eyes as he took a step back.

"Did I say something wrong?"

 _Fuck no. It was so right it fucking hurts._

"No," his voice sounded Scotch-raw.

It had clearly taken a lot of courage for her to suggest… _what she'd suggested_ and his reaction was obviously making her insecure. He kept forgetting how new she was to all of this. He _had_ to remember that _this_ Adrianna hadn't been making love to him in their dreams for years already. She didn't remember anything they'd done, didn't have the same experiences, the same confidence in her own sexuality. Not yet, anyway. So for now, he had to put her at ease, make her understand that there was nothing she couldn't say to him, nothing she couldn't suggest or ask for.

Unless maybe when he was already one wrong move away from fucking it all to hell and taking her against the door.

Hades cleared his throat.

"First of all," he rumbled, trying to keep his voice gentle even though everything felt raw. "It's not a tit for tat-thing. Not with us. You're never obligated to do anything."

"I know," she said, her lips twitching. "But I want to make you-"

"And secondly," he cut her off, not sure where that sentence was going, but confident it couldn't have gone anywhere good. "If you touched my dick right now, it would be game over, Cara. There's no way in hell I would be able to stop myself from having you on every surface of this office."

"Really?" There was a dangerous glint to those blue eyes.

"God, Cara," he groaned. "Please."

She sighed, her shoulder slumping. "Okay. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I loved you suggesting it. So fucking much."

She laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just that, do you realize you get a really dirty mouth whenever you get turned on."

"I know." He smiled too. "It's your fucking fault. I lose my damn mind whenever I'm around you."

She laughed again, exactly as he'd meant her to, but as the sound tingled his ears, he grew serious.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can say to make you hand this case over to someone else?"

She shot him a little smile and turned around, gathering her hair over her shoulder.

 _I guess that's a no._

As he worked on her buttons, he noticed his hands trembling and shook his head. Here he was, God Of The Underworld, the stuff of nightmares for many…and this sweet little human made him tremble. How his brothers would laugh.

"I'll go first," he said, not sure he could stay in that room, with her smell, any longer. "Wait a few minutes and then go straight back to Ryder. No lingering. Straight to him and, more specifically, my guards. I don't want you wandering around this house alone."

She nodded, soft curls bouncing on ever softer skin. Shit, he hated walking away from her.

Sighing, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips and slipped out of the room, heading straight for the front door. He could use some air. Preferably ice cold.

* * *

Adrianna leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the door, her legs trembling. Lucian was still crawling in her blood, making her body weak…and she loved it. She used to pride herself on her strength, on her ability to keep a cool and leveled head under any circumstance, but now she gave her strength up willingly for just a few moments with him. God, that man could make her feel _so_ good. Even better if he would just stop worrying about her so much. She had to give it to him though, he had more character than she did. If the roles had been reversed, she wasn't sure she would've been able to walk away.

Smoothing her curls down, she tried to pull herself together as much as she could before walking back out into reality.

Flushing, she strolled down the hallway, casually glancing around. No one seemed to have picked up on what had been happening in Gerytof's office only moments ago. Or they hid it well. Either way, she didn't dawdle, walking back to the grand hall in wide strides.

When Alexander saw her coming in, he met her halfway.

"Let's dance."

It wasn't a question.

Before she could even think about objecting, he'd grabbed her hand and was guiding her towards the small dancing crowd by the live band.

"I thought you didn't like to dance," she said as he held her and started swaying to the music. "Didn't you tell me your father forced you to take dance lessons as a child and you've hated it ever since?"

"Yes," he said, his lips twitching. "But I figured I could endure a song or two just so people would think my fiancée is flushing from head to toe because she danced with me and not because she was _dancing_ with Nox."

She could feel her cheeks heat even more. "Right. Smart."

"Well, _someone_ has to keep his head in the game. The one on top of his neck and not in his pants."

Adrianna sniffed, rolling her eyes. "You two are so alike it's funny."

"Me and Nox? I doubt that."

She smiled. That's what Lucian would've said to, albeit with more profanities thrown in there.

As Alexander led her through the song, Adrianna couldn't help but notice the differences between the men, too. For example, she was completely indifferent to Alexander's touch while Lucian could set her ablaze with just a look. And it's not that Alexander wasn't an attractive guy. He just wasn't as ruggedly handsome as Lucian was. Not that he could complain. Women fell at his feet. There was just something rougher about Lucian, something deeper, something that pulled at her every heartstring. He'd led a much harder life than Alexander had; than most people had in fact. There was a darkness in his eyes sometimes, a void that gave away such pain. He'd only ever spoken of his family on rare occasions and he'd never dug deep. All she knew was that he had parents and siblings, they were all in the same line of business and he thoroughly disliked them all. She didn't even know their names. It made her ache when she thought of how lonely he must've been his whole life and she'd already silently vowed to herself he'd never be alone again. She wasn't sure how she was going to make it work between them, but she would. Somehow.

"Your face changes when you think about him."

Adrianna snapped out of her thoughts. "What?"

"When you think about Nox-" he said. "-your face changes."

"Changes how?"

"You seem-" He paused, considering his answer carefully. "-softer."

"Softer?" she smiled. "As opposed to the hard bitch I'm most of the time?"

He shook his head, smiling too. "No. You know that's not what I meant. You just seem…content. At peace. It's sweet. Nox is a lucky son of a bitch." His face fell for a split second and with it, his mask slipped too.

"You're going to find someone, Alex," she said, squeezing his arm softly. "Be patient."

At once, the playboy reappeared, grinning. "Oh, I know. Once this fake engagement is over, I plan on finding many someones."

She rolled her eyes again. "Whatever you say."

He shot her a grateful smile and she knew he'd heard her despite the _tough guy_ -act.

The music stopped and everyone disengaged from their dance partners, softy clapping at the musicians.

Adrianna was just about to suggest a drink when someone sang behind them, "May I have the next dance?"

 _That voice._

Her heart sinking to her stomach, Adrianna turned, staring right into the bright blue eyes of Victor Pierce.

The dirty-blond vampire smiled that signature, arrogant smile of his. Why did he always look like he was in total control of the situation? It was disturbing. It was probably also why he'd become the leader of The Forsaken over two decades ago, why his men followed his every command. He oozed a dark confidence that made her skin crawl.

"I think it's only fair-" the bastard continued, not at all thrown by her glare. "-since I didn't get to dance with you the last time we saw each other."

Adrianna sniffed, remembering when they'd budded heads in Henry's bar.

"You threatened to kill me-" she hissed. "-so I wasn't exactly in the mood to dance. Not that I would _ever_ let you touch me."

"What?"

Victor Pierce's smile grew wider when he looked at Alexander, as if he'd only then noticed him. Alexander didn't smile back, though.

"He threatened you?" Alex snapped, directing the question at her and yet holding Pierce's gaze.

"You sure surround yourself with some fierce protectors, don't you?" Pierce laughed, not at all intimidated. Why would he be? He might not have carried as much muscle on his bones as Alexander did, but he was a lot more lethal. He could kill Alex in the blink of an eye if he wanted to. In fact, he could kill everyone in the room without breaking a sweat.

Adrianna's eyes darted around, searching, but Lucian wasn't there. He was probably outside, getting some air, cooling down after their encounter in Gerytof's office…and suddenly, the disturbing realization dawned on her that Pierce had been lying in wait for this opportunity. After all, Pierce wouldn't have wanted to bump into Lucian again. He feared Lucian, or at least the Nox-name. Lucian's ancestors had to have been some powerful gypsies to frighten an evil bastard like Victor Pierce.

"Come on," he sang, holding out his hand. "One dance and you're rid of me."

His menace was a tangible thing, and it reached out, brushing over her body like cold hands.

"She's not dancing with you," Alexander jumped in, having no idea who he was trying to intimidate. "You're going to walk the fuck away or-"

He trailed off and when Adrianna noticed Pierce's fixed gaze, she snarled, "Stop it!"

"Stop what?" he said innocently, his eyes still locked on Alex.

"Stop compelling him," she hissed under her breath. The crowd didn't seem to notice what was going on, but this was a risk vampires weren't allowed to take. "You can't compel humans out in the open."

Finally, he looked away from Alex and focused back on her, his eyes a touch harder. "Ah, yes, that's one of your parents' many rules, isn't it?"

Her jaw locked at the disgust in his voice. God, she wanted to hurt him…but she couldn't. Not out in the open.

"Have you forgotten I'm a Forsaken, princess?" he said, his voice now harsh. "In fact, I _lead_ The Forsaken. I'm their King, which means I don't follow your bourgeois rules."

"They're not bourgeois," she fumed, defending her family and everything they stood for. "They're necessary rules to protect supernaturals-"

"They're rules to protect _humans_!"

He spat out the latter with a disgust she felt all the way down to her core. He'd also spat it out _very_ loudly. Glancing around, she could see a few heads starting to turn.

"If you want me to shut up you better dance with me, Salvatore. Don't forget, I'm not that worried about people finding out about vampires. In fact, one day, when I'm rid of your family, I intend to restore the balance in this world. Why should we hide from these puny-"

"Okay," she whispered, hearing his voice get louder again. "If I dance with you, will you keep it down?!"

The vampire held out his boney hand and she took it, her blood running cold at his touch.

"I'm sorry-" Alexander suddenly said beside them, blinking wildly as if just waking up. It was clear by the smile on his face that he hadn't heard a word they'd just said or remembered anything from before that. "-I must've spaced out for a second." He frowned at Pierce. "And you are?"

"Dancing with your fiancée."

Alexander's frown grew deeper.

"And old friend," she lied, smiling convincingly. "I promised him one dance. Meet you at the bar?"

Alexander looked confused for a moment longer, but then answered her smile with one of his own and left the dance floor.

"You sure have your men trained, don't you?"

"Shut up, Pierce," she snapped. "I don't want your opinion. On anything. It's bad enough that I have to dance with you."

He grinned as if she'd just given him a compliment instead of insulted him and curled an arm around her waist. When he pressed her against his chest, she wanted to move away from him, but his arm was like an iron chain, keeping her right where she was.

"You and I both know you're not getting away before this dance is over, sweetheart. But please, keep wiggling that body of yours against me like that."

She froze, disgust curling in her gut.

"You're done?" he teased. "Pity."

He led her through the music, not that she had much of a choice. He held her so close she could feel the cold from his chest seep into her skin.

"If you're here to kill me-" she started, his sharp laugh cutting her off.

"If I wanted you dead, I would've killed you by now, Adrianna. Along with every single soul in this room."

"Then what _do_ you want, Pierce?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he said, pressing her even tighter against him.

She swallowed hard, pushing back vomit when she felt his erection. Fear curled in her blood as his hand dropped to nape of her back.

 _If he wants you, there's nothing you can do to stop him,_ a scared voice croaked in her head. And it was right. She might talk like a vampire, but she was still human. Strong…but human.

"God, that's a nice feeling," he rumbled, his lips twitching. "I do love a scared heartbeat. And that smell of fear-" He took in a deep breath. "It tingles in my nose like wet paint. There's nothing like it. Especially not a Salvatore's fear. "

She glared at him, humiliation and rage coursing through her veins. Damn, she hated feeling helpless. Not just feeling. Being. In that moment, she _was_ helpless. At times like these, she hated being human.

The vampire leaned down and she cringed. He breathed in deeply again, exhaling on a long sigh.

"I've always liked you scent. I liked it from the moment I first laid eyes on you."

She swallowed back the bile. "Look, Pierce, whatever the real reason is that you're here, I really don't have time. I have a serial killer on the loose who I know but can't catch and a thief slash wannabe murdered who I _don't_ know and can't catch. So, if you insist on playing these games, might I direct you towards my brothers or parents? I'm sure they'll be all too happy to play with you." She wanted to storm off, but his grip didn't budge.

"I'm not here to play games, sweetheart."

"Don't call me sweetheart."

He ignored her. "I'm here for the art."

"The art? I didn't peg you as an art-enthusiast. Or cultured in any way, for that matter."

God, she wanted to slap that self-assured smile of his face…

"I have specific tastes. Did you know Gerytof has a whole room dedicated to the depiction of martyrs?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Is that how you see yourself, Pierce? As a martyr, fighting and willing to die for what you believe in?"

"Not me. You."

She laughed coldly. "Oh, great. The psychopath is going to give me some insight into myself."

"It's true, sweetheart."

"I told you not to-"

"What else would you call someone who would renounce who she truly is just to please her _holier than thou_ -family?"

Her blood blazed again. "You need to shut up about my family. And about me, for that matter. You don't know me, Pierce."

"Don't I?" he rumbled, his eyes holding hers intensely. Once again, she was grateful for the vampire blood coursing through her veins. It stopped this sick bastard from compelling her. "Maybe I'm the only one who truly sees you. Who sees the darkness, the potential. Wouldn't you rather be free to be who you really are, Salvatore? To rule men who will kill for you? To sit by my side on a throne of bones, making this world tremble?"

For a moment, all Adrianna could do was stare at him…and then she did something that finally made that damn smile drop.

She laughed.

Right in his face.

"Oh God, I couldn't keep it together," she snickered, brushing a tear from her eye. "I tried but you're even crazier than I though."

"You can deny it all you want," he hissed, clearly irritated. "But you know your place is by my side, sweetheart."

"Fuck you."

His eyes darkened again. "There would be a lot of fucking me, yes. As a vampire…or a human. If you'd rather do the ritual and Breed with me as The Crescător, I'm all for that."

There was that vomit again.

"You're out of you goddamn mind, Pierce. I would never join you, in any way."

"Maybe you're not ready to accept it yet, but you can't fight your nature forever, Salvatore."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "Whatever you think you see in me is just my hatred for you, Pierce. There's no darkness in me."

"No darkness, huh? I know four people who'd beg to differ. Which reminds me, I wanted to ask you, _did_ they beg? Before you killed them?"

She froze in his arms, but he kept moving, forcing her numb body with him. No. There was no way he could know…

"I saw what you did, Salvatore," He said from somewhere far away, a reverence to his voice that made cold sweat appear on her neck. "Well, not the actual killing, but the aftermath. I smelled your blood and saw the car. I would've given anything to see the actual deed, though. Just thinking about you slaughtering those humans makes me hard."

His foul mouth brought her back into the moment. Digging her heels into the ground, she finally made him stop the charade of dancing with her. Now, they just stood there, her legs shaking but keeping her upright even though emotionally, he'd knocked her down.

"I don't know what you think I did, but-"

"Oh no, don't do that," he rumbled, those thin lips curling up. "Don't ruin such a magnificent kill by denying it. Own it. Own who you truly are."

"That wasn't-" She lowered her voice, repeating softer, "That wasn't me."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I see you're not ready to accept your true self yet. But you will. Once everyone you love turns away from you in horror when they find out what you did. When they find out who you are. Then, you'll come to me, because you'll have no one else. Or do you really think your powerful boyfriend will have anything to do with you once he finds out you're not as innocent and righteous as you pretend to be?"

He reached out his hand, his bony fingers grazing her cheek. It took her too long to slap his touch away, too long to say anything. Because she didn't know what to say. He was right. Maybe her family could forgive her over time, but Lucian…He wasn't biologically programmed to love her. He'd leave. And she couldn't blame him.

She could feel tears pushing to break free, but there was no way she was going to let Victor Pierce see her cry.

"Leave town, Pierce," she hissed. "Tonight or so help me God, I'll send my brothers on you!"

He wasn't impressed and she could tell by the spark in his blue eyes that he knew he'd gotten to her.

"My work here is done anyway," he said, his words dripping with satisfaction. "I will see you soon, sweetheart."

 _Don't call me sweetheart._

The second Victor was gone, Alexander started making his way towards her, but she couldn't deal with him right now. She couldn't deal with anyone. So, she ran. As fast as her heels could carry her.

* * *

Hades stood outside of Gerytof's mansion, leaning back against the cream white building, breathing in the night. Not that it helped. The cold air might've filled his lungs, but Adrianna was in his blood like a fever, burning him up from the inside out.

After a few moments, he seriously considered jerking off before he went in again, but since humans had laws against that sort of thing in public, he decided against it and instead just tried to focus on anything else but her.

Which was pretty hard considering he could smell her on his clothes.

Taste her on his tongue.

Feel a slight sting where her fingers had pulled his hair when she'd orgasmed.

Realizing there was no getting around his hard-on, he shrugged off his jacket and strategically draped it over his arm, hiding his crotch from sight.

He was just about to head back inside, when he spotted movement in an alley across the street; as if someone had ducked his head out and back in.

Someone was there, watching.

Maybe waiting.

For her.

The fire in his blood turned to rage as he stalked towards the darkness. If they wanted his woman, they would have to go through him first.

No streetlight made its way into the alley, which meant Hades went in blind. When his eyes adjusted to the dark though, he spotted a shadow heading his way in a determined stride.

The shadow of the one thing that could make his hard-on disappear in an instant.

"Vasquez," he sighed annoyed. "What the hell are you doing-"

The PI's fist slammed into his jaw before he could finish his question and once again, Hades was reminded of the worst part of being mortal.

Pain.

Rage burning in his chest, Hades glared at the human. If that ridiculous little man had any idea who he was messing with…

"She's alive?!"

Hades' eyes widened as his rage was replaced by guilt. He'd forgotten to tell Vasquez that Adrianna had survived the car crash. With everything going on, it had completely slipped his mind. Which meant the man had been living under the assumption that Adrianna was dead for days. And he looked like it too. The guy was a mess. He was still wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing the night he'd told her she was gone; his hair was a mess, his eyes were red and exhausted and the stench of alcohol seemed to come out of his pores. He'd clearly been on a bender for days.

 _What would you look like? If you'd still believed she was dead?_

 _Worse._

 _A lot worse._

 _"_ Vasquez-"

"Was it all some twisted joke?!" The Pi continued in a loud voice. "Did you make me suffer just for the thrill of it?!"

"No," he said, trying to keep his voice kind, like Adrianna somehow always managed to do. "I truly thought she was dead."

"And when you found out she wasn't, you didn't think to give me a call?"

"No," he answered honestly. Although, judging from Vasquez' face, he probably should've lied. "I'm sorry."

"You're _sorry_?!"

The man's fist flew out again…and Hades let him hit his target. He deserved it. If anyone had pulled this crap on him, he would've done more than land another well-aimed hit to the jaw. He would've ripped the fucking thing off.

"Do you have any idea what I've been through!" he fumed. "This is the first time I've been outside since that night! When I thought I saw her getting out of that car earlier, I thought I'd gone insane!"

"Again, I'm sorry," Hades said, his voice already less kind. This male was way too distraught. Hades had always known he had a crush on Adrianna, but it was more than that. He was in love with her. _Deeply_ in love.

Hades didn't like that.

At all.

When the PI moved to get passed him, no doubt heading for Gerytof's place, Hades stopped him with a hand to his chest.

"Don't touch me, Nox," the man snarled, his eyes flashing. There was something dangerous in those eyes Hades hadn't noticed before and for the first time, he saw the man as someone to be reckoned with. Although, it was probably just liquid courage doing its thing.

"You can't tell her about that night."

Vasquez snorted. "You're giving me orders? Now? Seriously?"

"She can't know you saw me, that I thought she was dead."

"And why the hell would I keep that from her? _She_ is my friend. _You_ are no one to me."

Vasquez pushed against his hand, but Hades held him in place.

"Then do it for _your friend._ "

He frowned, but listened as he continued.

"She's not ready to talk about what happened yet, about the car crash. And if she knows that I saw the wreckage, if she knows that _I know_ that certain things she's saying don't add up, she'll feel obligated to talk about it. And I don't want that. She's been through enough."

"What's not adding up?"

Hades glared down at him. He wasn't going to tell this PI things Adrianna had told him in confidence. She was none of his business.

Vasquez sniffed, getting the message.

"You know-" he hissed. "-before you came along, her life sure as hell seemed a lot simpler."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that maybe you should get the fuck away from her."

Hades snorted, grinning coldly. "And this is coming from a place of concern for your _friend,_ is it? It doesn't have anything to do with jealousy?"

"Jealousy?"

"Oh, please, Vasquez. It's disgustingly obvious."

For a moment, the PI just stared at him, his eyes narrow.

"You're not good for her," he finally hissed.

"Maybe not, but she chose me."

"She chose you because she didn't know there were other options."

Hades cocked a dark eyebrow. He could keep his mouth shut. He should. He'd put the guy through enough…but the fact that this SOB thought he had a change with his woman, that given the choice she'd choose him over Hades, rubbed his monster the wrong way. She was his. _Only_ his.

"She knew you were an option, Gabriel," he rumbled, his voice soft and patronizing. "How could she not. Like I said, you're disgustingly obvious. Face it, she just doesn't want you."

The man's entire body tightened, a vein in his neck throbbing as his nostril flared.

"Go home, Vasquez. Clean yourself up and _then_ you can see her. If you watch what you say."

"Then I can see her?" he snarled, that dangerous glint in his eyes again. "You decide who she does and doesn't see now?"

 _Don't kill the human._

 _She likes the human._

 _Don't kill the human_.

"Go home, Vasquez. You'll never get in Gerytof's house anyway. Not without an invitation and definitely not looking the way you do."

Hades was sure the bastard was going to take another swing at him at that point and he'd already decided that this time, he wasn't just going to take it...but then, the guy turned his back on him without another word and stalked out of that alley, hissing under his breath.

"Well, at least I'm decent again," he mumbled under his breath, slipping his jacket back on. His hard-on might have been gone, but his skin was still itching and a part of him wished the PI had taken another shot at him. Maybe a good fight would've burned off the fever in his blood. Not that it would've helped for long.

Trying to prepare himself, he made his way back into Gerytof's, his eyes immediately scanning the vast room…but coming up empty.

 _Damn it, I told her to come straight back here. Does that woman ever listen?_

"Ryder," he gnarled when he joined the man at the bar. "Where is she?"

The bastard got a look in his eyes he didn't like. At all.

"Ryder, don't make me ask twice."

"I thought she was with you," he whispered, worry clouding his face. "Isn't she?"

Something cold clutched Hades' heart.

"What happened?" he pushed out through clenched teeth.

"I don't know. She ran out a few minutes ago. I thought she was coming after you."

"She just ran out?" Hades blood went glacial. " _What did you do_?!"

"Nothing."

Hades took a threatening step forward.

"I swear," the man said, realizing he was close to being beaten within an inch of his life. "We danced and then she danced with her friend and-"

"Her friend?! What _friend_?!"

"I don't know. She didn't introduce us. She said he was an old friend, that's all."

Hades' chest hurt from trying to contain his rage. He could feel himself taking deeper breaths, trying to rein in the monster.

"Where is this _friend_ now?" Hades snarled.

Ryder's eyes went over the room. "He's not here. He must've left."

"Let me guess, right after Adrianna did?!"

The man's eyes widened when he understood what Hades was saying. How could it not have crossed this imbecile's mind that she might have been dancing with the man who'd tried to kill her?! That he'd possibly threatened her to get her alone?!

"Goddamn it, Ryder, you fucking moron!"

A few heads turned, but Hades couldn't care less. With wide strides, he left that house and disappeared back into the night, grabbing his cellphone out of his pocket. The only thing that kept him from losing it completely was the fact that his men hadn't been at Gerytof's anymore either.

"Tell me someone's got eyes on her, Xavier," he snarled at the head of her security detail.

"Yes, sir. We have her in sight."

Hades let out a deep breath. "Is she okay?"

"She's upset, but she's okay."

"Where?"

"We seem to be heading towards the park."

 _The park?_ His fist clenched.

"Stay on her. Closely."

"Off course, sir."

"Damn it, Adrianna," he barked as he snapped his cell shut, getting behind the wheel of his car. "What the hell are you doing?"

When he reached the park, he left his car right out front, blocking the entrance. They could give him a ticket or tow the damn thing. He didn't give a fuck.

"Where is she?" he snapped into his phone again.

"At the lake."

He hung up and broke into a run. The lake was right at the centre of the park and the thing wasn't exactly small.

The first thing he saw when he reached the lake was the shadow sitting on one of the swings.

 _There's my girl,_ his heart sighed with relief.

She looked so fragile, so small.

"What happened?" he asked the man standing by a tree. Xavier was broad, with arms that matched his own and a professionalism Hades appreciated. He was always on top of things, had a grip on his men and never failed to report back to him, no matter the hours he'd clocked by the time he finished.

"I don't know, sir," he said, taking out his earpiece. "She was dancing with some guy and then, she just ran off."

"Did you recognize the guy?"

Xavier shook his head. "No. It wasn't Dimitri Rodchenko, though. I can tell you that much. He didn't look anything like the picture you showed us of him."

"Well, that's something," Hades rumbled.

"I did manage to snap a quick shot," Xavier continued, pulling out his cell phone. "But it's not very clear."

Hades took the phone, staring at the image on the screen. The picture was blurry and unfocused, but Hades recognized the man in it at once.

"Thanks, Xavier," Hades sighed. "Good work."

Xavier took the compliment modestly, simply nodding. "Do you want us to pull back, sir? Give you some privacy?"

 _Yes._

"No. She too exposed. Stay close."

He nodded again, repeating Hades' orders into his sleeve so his men knew what to do.

Hades tried to calm down as he made his way to Adrianna. His fear and anger made him want to yell at her for being so careless…but when he reached her and saw the broken little human in front of him, he simply shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her trembling shoulders. She glanced up at him with watery eyes as she slipped her arms inside his big sleeves.

Sighing, Hades sank to his knee, waiting for her to speak. The tears she shed smelled like spring rain and he'd never hated the scent more.

"What happened to your face?"

He sniffed when she reached out for his bruised jaw. She was concerned about _him_? She was sitting on a swing, crying, and she was worried about a little bruise.

"What happened to yours?" he whispered, brushing his thumbs over the salty drops that were slipping down her cheeks.

She shook her head, trying to hide from him, but he palmed her face, holding her gently.

"Adrianna, what's the matter?" Her teal blue eyes grew misty again. "Baby, please, just once, tell me what's on your mind."

She hesitated. "It's nothing. I just had to get out of there."

"Why?"

He stared at her while she fiddled with her clutch.

"Adrianna?" he forced out.

"I'm just being stupid."

Man, she was in full avoidance mode. What the hell had Pierce done?

"Adrianna, you're going to have to learn to trust me at some point."

That got her attention. In an instant, her eyes snapped back up to his, wide and apologetic. "I do trust you."

"No, you don't. Why can't you just tell me what's going on with you?"

Her eyebrows pulled together a little. And then, he couldn't stop himself from asking,

"Why can't you just tell me what happened to you in that car?"

A shockwave of pain came out of her, creating a breeze through the night that reached him in a cool rush and made his gut turn. He couldn't bear the anguish she felt whenever he brought up the subject and he wanted to do something to ease her, but there was nothing he _could_ do. Not as long as she refused to talk about what was eating her alive. If only there was something he could fight for her; kill for her even. He would. But there was nothing at the moment. Nothing. There was no target he could eliminate. Not as long as she kept those beautiful lips of her sealed.

"Cara-"

"Why do you love me?" She suddenly blurted out.

He blinked a couple of times, not sure he'd heard her right. "What?"

"Why do you love me?"

"Baby, stop avoiding-"

"Please," she whispered, her eyes deep and begging.

He sighed, tucking a curl behind her ear as he thought about her question. Why did he love her? Simple. "Because you are _everything_ , Adrianna." He let out a deep breath. "You have no idea what my life was like before you came along. Everything was dark, empty, meaningless. Time was just an endless stream of the same boring shit. I didn't feel anything, want anything. I'd given up on that a long time ago. And then, there you were." He smiled, remembering the vision he'd first seen her in. It had just been a flicker of her. Of those blue eyes. Of that warm smile. Of those curls brushing over her skin. But it had been enough to bind his heart to hers for all eternity.

She kept looking at him, longing for an answer he hadn't yet given.

"Do you want a list?" he asked, smiling in the hopes she'd smile along. She didn't. "Okay, I love that you're too stubborn to admit you're stubborn. I love the way you love. Fiercely. Without compromise. Your family, your friends…me. You love us, even though we're not all worthy." Her lips began to twitch, his chest slowly unknotting. "And I love that your mind is as dirty as your heart is pure."

That flicker of a smile faded and suddenly, she was on her feet, almost knocking him over in her hurry.

"I don't have a pure heart," she said, a touch of anger to her voice. "You seem to think I'm perfect, but I'm not."

"Oh, I know," he rumbled, her anger spurring his on. "Like _this_ for example-" he said, waving his hand at her. "-this is a part of you that's anything but perfect."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Why won't you tell me what happened, Salvatore?" he asked once more. "Why does everything have to be this big secret?"

"Because you don't need to know everything!"

"Yes, I do!"

"Okay, then you don't _want_ to know everything!"

"Again," he snarled. "Yes, I do!"

"No, you don't!"

"Goddamn it, Adrianna," he hissed, burying a hand in his hair. "What the fuck happened with Pierce?!"

Her lips pressed together into a thin line. "How do you-" she trailed off when her gaze landed on Xavier. "Oh."

"Yeah, _oh_! I would've preferred to hear it from you, but since that's not happening, I'll take whatever I can get! What did that vampire want, Salvatore?"

Her jaw clutched.

"Did he hurt you?!" He asked harsher.

"No."

"Threaten you?!"

"No," she closed his jacket tighter around herself. "He just talked to me."

"About what?"

"About…me."

"About you? What the fuck did Victor Pierce have to say about _you_?!"

"He said-" she took in a shaky breath. "He said some things that made sense."

"Like what?"

"Like…maybe he and I are not so different."

Hades let a deep laugh break free from his chest. Adrianna wasn't laughing though.

"That's what this is about? Victor Pierce spewing bullshit?" He reached out for her, but she took a small step back, robbing him off all laughter.

"Cara, please tell me you know that's ridiculous."

Her eyes started shimmering with tears again.

"Baby-"

"It's not ridiculous," she cut him off, her body shaking again. She couldn't be cold though, not with his jacket on. No, her body was responding to the emotions coursing through her. Emotions that made no sense.

"Adrianna, you know who Victor Pierce is. What he does. Why would you believe a word that comes out of that vampire's mouth."

"Because he was right!" she yelled, sadness seeping out of her. "I'm not who you think I am-"

"That's bullshit!"

"I'm not good or pure! I'm-"

"Stop it!" He closed the distance between them in two strides, cradling her face in his hands as he snarled, "Cara, listen to me. You do not, in any way, resemble that monster. You're Adrianna Salvatore. You're the woman whose heart breaks every time an innocent gets hurt; who sees the good in everyone even when they don't see it in themselves. You are so full of light and love and kindness that sometimes I wonder if you're even real-"

"I'm not," she sobbed, the tears now streaming down her face. "I thought I was. I thought I was all those things you're saying, but maybe I was just pretending. Maybe I was just trying to hide."

"Hide what?"

"Who I really am. _What_ I really am."

Hades sniffed, but before he could say anything, she added,

"There's a part of me that's a demon, Lucian. A vampire."

"And that means what? That you're evil? Not all vampires are evil, sweetheart. You parents, your brothers-"

"I know that," she huffed frustrated, breaking free from his touch. "But my parents had time to adjust, to learn to live with their dark side, to get it under control. You don't think I've heard the stories about my mom and dad? What they were like when they first changed, before they met each other? They weren't always the way there are now. And my brothers were born vampires, so they've lived with it since day one, their darkness doesn't control them. But me…I've never been anything other than human. And I've always tried to do good. Even when I held a gun to Rodchenko's head it was to stop him from butchering anymore women. I knew my soul would be burdened forever, but I was willing to make that sacrifice if it meant saving others. But when I thought you were dead, when I woke up in that car-" She stopped herself and Hades wanted to scream, throw things, burn something down.

"Don't stop," he pleaded. "Tell me. Tell me what happened so I can help you."

"You _can't_ help me."

"Adrianna-"

"Besides-" she cut him off, her blue gaze so full of pain and fear his knees nearly buckled. "-if I told you, you wouldn't _want_ to help me."

He growled, taking another step towards her, anger coursing through his veins again at the accusation.

"Sir!"

Hades stopped in his tracks, watching Xavier as he ran up to them, talking in his sleeve.

 _Something is wrong._

Hades was on Adrianna before Xavier reached them. He could feel her fighting his grip, making him clutch her even tighter against him.

"What is it?" Hades asked, adrenaline pumping in his blood.

"Cops, sir. They're everywhere."

Hades frowned. "Cops? Are you sure?"

Xavier nodded.

"How many?"

"Eight."

 _Eight? That can't just be because of my parking violation._

"If the police is here that means it's not safe, sir," Xavier said. "We should go and-"

"He called them."

Hades turned towards the trembling woman in his arms, her face and lips suddenly pale.

"What?"

"Victor called them," she said, more to herself than to him. "He called the police."

"Victor? Why would Pierce-"

"Because this way everyone will know," she whispered, pressing her eyes shut. "He set me up."

"What are you talking about?" Hades growled, frustrated. "Everyone will know _what_?! Just tell me what is going-"

"Adrianna Salvatore?"

Hades' head snapped around, pinning down the man who'd called out here name with a vicious glare.

"Who the fuck are you?" Hades snarled, turning so his body shielded hers.

"My name is David Riel. I'm with the FBI."

"The FBI?" Adrianna had moved from behind him and was now standing by his side, everything about her screaming defeat. Her sad eyes, her relaxed body, even her smell. There was no adrenaline, no fear, no fire. Nothing. Not even when more people came out from between the trees, some wearing a suit like the man in front of them, others wearing a police uniform.

"What he fuck is going on?" Hades barked.

David Riel ignored him, his attention focused solely on Adrianna.

"Are you Adrianna Salvatore?"

"She's not answering-"

"Yes."

Hades' jaw clutched. What was she doing?

The FBI-agent nodded at a man in uniform and at once, the cop moved towards them. Towards her.

Snarling, Hades wanted to cut off his path, but Adrianna stopped him, her hand touching his chest as she slowly shook her head and whispered, "Don't."

When the cop reached them, Hades recognized the man. He'd been in Adrianna's apartment after that sniper had opened fire on them and then again in that alley when Adrianna had planned to shoot Rodchenko. He was a cop from her precinct.

"Anna," the guy whispered, his face almost as pale as hers. "I'm so sorry about this."

"About what?" Hades snarled.

"It's okay, Erik."

Swallowing hard, the guy reached for something behind his back. Hades moved forward again, but her hand was still on his chest, stopping him. She seemed to know exactly what was going on, staying calm, while he didn't have a fucking clue and was about ready to rip everyone's head off.

When a pair of handcuffs appeared in the cop's hand, he froze.

 _What the fuck?_

"Adrianna Salvatore," The cop said, tightening the steel around her wrists. "You are under arrest for the murder of Patrick Williams, David Moore, Jack Richards and Cindy Jones."

Hades started laughing, about to tell those idiots they were making an obvious mistake…when he caught her eyes. She stared at him with such torment, such profound sadness and...self-loading. She opened her mouth as if she was about to say something…but instead of speaking, she just hung her head as if ashamed.

And in that moment, he knew. He knew why she'd been so secretive. Why she'd been beating herself up.

It wasn't a mistake.

"Don't say a word to them," Hades barked as the cop started dragging her away. "Do you hear me, Adrianna?! Not a word!"

She wouldn't meet his eyes, so he could only pray his girl had heard him and that she would take his advice.

Breaking into a run, he headed back towards his car, making damn sure that when those fuckers arrived at the police station, he'd be there.

Waiting.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Adrianna felt detached. From everything. Time. Space. Even her own body. She felt like she was a spectator to her own downfall instead of a participant, watching herself from the side-lines as she sat in an interrogation room with three other men. Two across from her in a suit and tie; one next to her, urging her not to answer any questions. Her lawyer. Lucian's lawyer. She still didn't understand how Lucian had not only beaten her to the police station, but had managed to get a lawyer there as well. She'd wanted to refuse his help, to go through this alone, but that would've meant speaking to the man she loved and that was something her shame wouldn't allow her to do. So, she'd accepted his lawyer in silence, realizing this was probably the last kindness she could expect from him. Once he knew that the allegations against her were true, he'd see her for who she really was and walk away, taking her heart with him. She wouldn't stop him, even though it would kill her.

He deserved a life free of her.

Shivering, from either the cold or adrenaline, she glanced down at the pictures on the steel table. One was a picture from the burned out car and the evidence found inside. The other four were of the people she'd killed. The flames had made them almost unrecognizable, but she could see their faces clear as day in her mind's eye. They haunted her.

"Just talk to us, Adrianna," the suit sitting across from her said in that voice she used during interrogations as well. "Make us understand what happened."

Adrianna met the fed's gaze, the words poised on her lips. She wanted to tell him. Everything. She deserved whatever was coming to her. She was a murderer.

"My client has nothing to say," her lawyer spoke first, the silver streaks in his hair catching the fluorescent light and reflecting it back. "And I would strongly advice-"

"Why is the FBI involved in this?" It was the first time Adrianna had spoken since her arrest and if she hadn't felt her lips move, she would've doubted it had been her own voice drifting through the bare room. She sounded broken. Tired. And she _was_ both of those things. So broken and so very, _very_ tired.

"Because of this man," the second suit answered her, tapping a picture of a burned body with his finger. "His name was Jack Richards."

 _Richards_ , she thought fingering the photo. _He'd been the leader. The one who'd shot Lucian. The one I beat to death._

"We'd been tracking him for a while now," the suit continued. "He was as bad as men get. He killed mercilessly, alone or with a team. Men, women, children. He didn't care, not as long as he got paid. So, you see, we're on your side here, Adrianna. In fact, personally, I think you did the world a favor by taking him out of it."

"Okay, that's enough," her lawyer snapped. "Don't respond to that, miss Salvatore. It's a trap."

Off course it was a trap. She'd used it herself many times. Sympathize with the criminal, make him think you're on his side and by doing so trick a confession out of them. The thing was though, they didn't need to trick her. She'd already made up her mind.

"You have nothing on my client, gentlemen," her lawyer said. "It's a disgrace you even arrested her based on the flimsy case you put together."

"We have her purse in the backseat-"

"A purse she reported stolen."

"We have an eyewitness-"

"An anonymous one who only came forward a few hours ago. It could be anyone with a vendetta against my client. She's a detective, remember. She has enemies on the wrong side of the law."

"We have her blood in the car-"

"That's bullshit and you know it. No DNA could've survived that fire."

"And we have two more eyewitnesses who pulled a woman matching miss Salvatore's description out of the water a few miles from the car crash."

"Yes, let's talk about that, shall we?" Her lawyer smiled. "Your theory is that my client overpowered three armed men, shot two of them, beat one to death, then shot the driver, was smashed through the windshield straight of the bridge, dragged by the river below for miles and is now, only a few days later, sitting her before you, unharmed?"

A flicker of discomfort and doubt passed in the FBI agents' eyes and Adrianna could see that if her lawyer pushed a little harder, she would walk away a free woman. After all, no one could've survived what he'd just described. No one, except maybe a human with vampire genes. In these men's world though, such a creature didn't exist. Their theory would never hold up in court. She'd get away with murdering four people.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," her lawyer said with an arrogant note to his voice as he closed the file in front of him. Oh, how many times she'd been in those agents' place, watching as the killer in front of her got away scot-free. She recognized the anger and frustration on their faces, the powerlessness.

A cold fist clutching her heart, her eyes found the pictures again, nausea turning her stomach.

"Gentlemen, it was a hoot," the lawyer said, getting up from his chair. "But my client and I will be going now. Expect to hear from us regarding a lawsuit for wrongful-"

"Stop," Adrianna whispered, closing her eyes. "For the love of God, just...stop."

* * *

Hades stood by the vending machines, listening to the electric purring of the contraptions as his eyes were glued to the door Adrianna had disappeared through. It had been almost an hour and so far, no movement. He'd tried to get into the door next to it and listen in on their conversation from behind the one-way mirror, but the damn thing was locked and he didn't have time to pick it. There were too many eyes around, eyes that were all focused on the same door. Every now and then, he'd hear a snippet of a whisper from her colleagues and no one could believe she might've done what she was accused of doing. They all just cursed the FBI and mumbled something about politics. A few even thought Dimitri Rodchenko had pulled some strings to make this happen. None of them knew what he did. That it was all true. That Adrianna had killed those people. He'd seen the truth in her eyes back in the park. He'd recognized the pain in her gaze. It was the same pain she'd been carrying around ever since the night she'd been taken. This was what she'd been so afraid to tell him…and gods, was it a relief. He'd always feared those bastards had done something to her before they'd died, something so horrible she couldn't even bear to speak of it. He would've been crushed if that had been the case. The other way around however, _she_ hurting _them?_ Well, he had no problem with that. Hell, if she hadn't ended their miserable little lives, he would've done it for her. Maybe that was the only thing that stung about the whole situation. He would never get the chance to kill those fuckers himself.

The door opened and at once, Hades' blood blazed.

"Why is she still in handcuffs?" he growled at his lawyer as he watched Adrianna being led away by the two FBI agents. He tried to catch her eyes, but they were once again glued to the ground. "I thought you said they had no case!"

"They didn't," the man sighed, annoyance thick in his voice. "They had nothing."

"Then why isn't she free to go?!"

"Because she confessed."

Hades heart sank to his stomach. "What?"

"She was about to walk out with a clean record and then she just…confessed."

"What? Why the the fuck would she do that?!"

"I can't be sure, but if I had to guess-" he shook his head. "-guilt."

 _Guilt?!_ his monster snarled. _That foolish woman actually feels bad about what she did?! She thinks she deserves this?! She thinks she can just throw her life away over those idiots…and I'd let her?!_

"There's nothing I can do for her now," the lawyer continued. "This will go to trial and unless I find a way to have her confession thrown out, which isn't likely since there was no coercion, she'll go to jail."

 _Over my dead body._

"Okay," Hades gnarled, digging in his pocket for his phone. "That'll be all, Scott. I'll send your check in the morning."

The lawyer frowned. "Sir, she's going to need someone to defend her-"

"That'll be all," Hades repeated, his voice laced with a warning. A warning the lawyer picked up on.

As the man scurried away, Hades searched his phone for the number he needed and quickly dialed. He didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"Adrianna needs you," he gnarled. "We're at the police station. Come now."

* * *

Adrianna sat in a holding cell, brushing her fingers over the light red marks where the handcuffs had been. That hollow feeling in her chest grew bigger every second that passed. Every second without Lucian. Where was he? What would he think of her? Surely, his lawyer had told him by now what had happened, broken the news that he'd been in love with a murderer. Where would he have gone? To his club? His house? Was he sick to his stomach? Angry? Probably both.

Feeling tears push against her eyes, Adrianna took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart down, trying not to think of what was to come. How long before her family would get word of this? What would they think of their little girl now? Of their sister? Their niece? How could she ever face them again?

Trying to distract herself, she stared at the clock, focusing on the rhythmic ticking of the second hand making its way around the orb.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

….

Tick.

Adrianna frowned, a chill running over her spine. Was it her imagination or had time stopped for a second?

 _Don't be ridiculous. The clock is just broken, that's all._

She moved to rub her arms, but instead of skin she brushed her palms over soft, smooth wool. Lucian's jacket. She'd forgotten to give it back to him.

A lump forming in her throat, she brought her nose to the fabric, breathing in. His cologne was still clinging to the material, but the scent that was all his was gone. She would never smell him again.

Feeling a few tears push though her barrier, she made a mental note to see to it that the jacket got back to him somehow and wasn't just thrown in with her personal stuff before she had to change into a prison uniform. It would be years before she got her own clothes back, if ever, and she didn't want him to have to wait that long to get his jacket. She'd already taken enough from him.

More tears fell

"Stop it," she hissed, roughly wiping the drops from her cheeks. "You have no right to cry. This is your own fault. You did this. You-"

"Adrianna?"

Her eyes still shimmering with tears, she glanced at the voice, a pang of shame hitting her when she saw, "Erik."

Her colleague frowned, a little smile on his lips. Why was he smiling? They'd always gotten along, even hung out after work a few times. It made no sense that he'd be happy to see her like this.

"Salvatore-" he snickered. "-what are you doing?"

Her eyebrows pulled together. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why are you in a holding cell?"

A strange feeling took hold of her when she got up, watching the man's smile widen.

"I'm here because the FBI picked me up, remember? They had you arrest me in the park?"

Erik held her eyes for a long moment, a confused expression on his face…and then, he laughed.

Loudly.

"Erik-" she started, this whole thing freaking her out.

"God, Salvatore, I swear, I will never understand your sense of humour."

"My sense of-" she trailed off when he opened the holding cell, nodding for her to get out.

"Come on, I have an actual criminal who needs to be in here."

Adrianna hesitated. She didn't want him to get in trouble and if he let her out, he definitely would be. Besides, she wasn't planning on running. She wanted to pay for what she'd done. Maybe then her conscience would get some rest.

"Come on, Salvatore," Erik snickered. "Hop to it."

"Erik, the FBI-"

"Wait, is that why you're in here?" He sniffed, his eyes still sparkling. "Are you hiding from the feds?"

"No, I-"

"Because if you are, the coast is clear."

Adrianna blinked. "They're gone?"

"Yeah, they just left."

When Erik noticed her surprised expression, he added, "They were just coming through town and wanted to catch up with Ramirez. Apparently they worked a case together a few years ago."

 _What?_

"Come on, Salvatore," Erik said again, a twinge of impatience in his words now. "It's three-thirty in the morning. My shift ended half an hour ago and I'm exhausted, so I'd like to wrap this up and go home."

That chill crawling up her spine again, Adrianna did as she was told, stepping out of the cell and heading back inside the police station. When she moved to the nerve centre, as they called it, she glanced over the few occupied desks. The night shift was always quiet, but there were a few familiar faces working their way through stacks of paperwork. She stood there frozen. She was sure that any moment now, someone was going to spot her and slap cuffs on her again. But no one moved. And if they did acknowledge her presence it was either to cast her a little smile or run their eyes over her formal dress with an appreciative look.

 _What the hell?_

"Adrianna."

Her heart stopped beating.

She would recognize that voice anywhere, even when it sounded so rough and angry.

 _Lucian_.

Swallowing hard, she turned…and at once, she got the answers she'd been seeking.

"No," she mumbled when she noticed the man standing next to Lucian.

 _Rellix._

"You did this?" she whispered to the warlock, her stomach dropping. He didn't have to answer. Why else would he be there? "You made them forget?"

Rellix nodded. "Yes, your highness."

She felt sick, too sick to even comment on the _highness_ -thing. She shouldn't be getting away with what she'd done. She deserved to be punished. Why would they do this? She could guess Rellix's motives. Ever since she'd caught him handling in deals again, he'd been eager to get in her good graces. But Lucian? He was obviously furious with her, his features set like stone. He wouldn't even look at her. So, why save her?

"Lucian-"

"Mike is waiting for you outside," he gnarled at his hands. "He will drive you home."

She stood frozen, confusion and pain hitting her from all sides.

 _What is he doing?_

"Lucian, I can't go. This isn't right. I deserve-" Her words got caught in her throat when he finally looked at her. Black, furious eyes met hers and she knew that any further resistance would be pointless. If she didn't move herself, he would throw her over his shoulder and carry her to the car. End of discussion.

Sighing, she did as she was told. By the time she got outside and saw Mike holding open the car door for her, her tears had won the fight and were streaming down her face freely. As they drove, Mike glanced in his review mirror from time to time, clearly wanting to ask what was wrong, but he somehow stopped himself every time, thinking better of it. She wasn't sure if she could've answered him anyway. Not only was the lump in her throat making speech impossible, she was also not sure what the root of her pain was exactly. Was it the injustice of going free or the agony that came from the way Lucian had acted. She'd never seen him so cold, so furious, at least not when it was directed at her. She'd often thought about what would happen if he found out what she'd done, about the repercussions of her actions, but even in her darkest nightmares she'd never seen him so livid, so completely void of any of the warmth she loved about him. And she'd done that to him. She'd made him so _dark_.

"Miss?"

Adrianna wiped her eyes, glancing up at Mike who was holding her door open again. She hadn't even realized they'd stopped.

She got out before taking a good look at where she was and when she finally did, fresh tears fell.

"You made a mistake, Mike," she croaked, turning to get back in the car. "This is mister Nox' hotel. He told me you would take me home."

The man shook his head. "He gave me clear instructions to take you to his penthouse, miss."

Before she could argue any further, Mike was already in the car, driving off.

Feeling the last of her energy drain out of her, she started scanning the streets for a cab. She wasn't sure how she was going to pay for it without her wallet though. They'd taken her clutch from her when they'd arrested her and she'd forgotten about it in all the confusion. She'd find a solution, though. She just had to get out of there before Lucian came back. If he saw her here, he would be even more furious than he already-

"Miss Salvatore?"

Adrianna turned, meeting Xavier's gaze. Her bodyguard. No, Lucian's bodyguard. The head of his security detail, actually.

"Xavier," she croaked. "I don't suppose _you_ remember the park, do you?"

"The park, miss?"

 _Rellix really is one powerful warlock._

"Never mind," she mumbled, spotting a cab and raising her hand quickly.

"Miss, what are you doing?" Xavier asked, frowning. "You should come inside."

She gave him a quick shake of her head. "I understand that you don't know what's going on, but trust me, your boss wouldn't appreciate it if I-"

"I just got off the phone with mister Nox. He told me to make sure you got inside safely."

 _What?_

Her head suddenly throbbing, she rubbed her temples, trying to lighten the ache, but it didn't help. Why would Lucian do this?

"Please, miss," Xavier said, waving her towards the door.

 _Just go,_ a little tired voice whispered. _Do what he says and get it over with._

Numb, she followed the man through the beautiful lobby, remembering the first time she'd set foot in his hotel. It had been right after their night out, right before their first kiss…

Her vision blurred with tears again and she was relieved when she could slip into the black elevator and the doors closed.

After a few moments of hiding her face in her hands and muffling sobs, she realized they weren't moving. Xavier was standing in a corner of the elevator, a kind look on his face as he waited for her to wrap up her little breakdown.

"Sorry," she croaked, brushing her palms over her cheeks.

"No worries, miss," he said, casting her a comforting smile before gesturing to the small electronic device next to the black elevator doors. It was only then that she remembered this was Lucian's private elevator, the only one that went up to his penthouse. That's why there were no buttons with floors next to them, only a scanner.

"I think we should wait in the lobby," she said, her voice small. "This elevator only works with Luci…Mister Nox' fingerprint."

Xavier frowned. "Are you sure? Mister Nox specifically said to get you to his penthouse."

"I'm sure. The only way to get up there is if Mister Nox is in here with you or if someone from inside the penthouse lets you up. The front desk used to have an override code, but there was a break in a while back. The guy had used that code to get in here and plant bugs for Dimitri Rodchenko so he could listen in on our conversations. When Lucian found out, he got rid of the back-up."

Xavier frowned, clearly hesitating. She knew why, of course. When Lucian gave an order, he expected you to follow it, so if he ordered this man to get her to his penthouse…well, she'd better be there when he got back.

Not ready to give up, Xavier rubbed his thumb on his pants before placing it on the scanner. The thing turned red and made a deep, angry noise.

"See," she mumbled. "Let's just-" She reached out for the _open doors_ -button, the only button in the elevator, but before she could press it, Xavier rumbled,

"Would _you_ mind trying?"

Adrianna rubbed her tired eyes. She knew her thumbprint wasn't going to work either, but she'd always liked Xavier and if this would put his mind at easy, why not?

Sighing, she pressed her thumb onto the machine. "See, I told you it wouldn't-"

A green light lid up underneath her finger, mechanical rumblings filling the steel box…and then they were moving.

Xavier smiled from ear to ear, clearly relieved, while Adrianna felt something break inside her chest. Her fingerprint worked? How? And why? Why would Lucian have given her a virtual key to his penthouse?

She was so lost in thought that by the time Xavier spoke again she was already standing in the middle of Lucian's place without recalling even getting out off the elevator.

"Everything here is clear," Xavier said behind her. "I'm going to check upstairs."

Adrianna wanted to point out, once again, that no one could get in here and they were safe, but she didn't have the energy. Not standing in the middle of the room where she'd first kissed Lucian. A room that smelled like him.

Feeling her knees buckle, she felt for the couch behind her so she could sit down, but then she spotted the brown boxes by the window.

Moving boxes.

 _Is he leaving?_

Her breath left her in a rush, her body turning cold. He was leaving. Of course he was. He'd probably made the arrangements while they'd been interrogating her. He was going to disappear from her life and never-

Her thoughts halted when she spotted the old record player placed on top of one of the boxes.

 _Her_ record player.

 _What the hell?_

More confused than ever, she went to the first box and opened it, finding it full of her books. A second box held clothes. A third her records. A fourth more books.

"Xavier," she said when she heard the man coming back down the stairs. "What is this?"

"Is something not in order, miss?" the guy asked. "The company assured us nothing had been damaged, but if -"

"The company?"

"The moving company mister Nox hired to get your things here."

Adrianna felt lightheaded again, leaning back against the cool window.

"Oh God," Xavier mumbled, his eyes wide. "Did he not ask you?"

"Ask me?"

"He told me he was going to ask you tonight."

"Ask me what?"

"To move in with him."

Adrianna felt the blood rush from her face, her knees finally giving out, making her plop down on top of one of her boxes. He'd wanted to live with her?

"Please, don't tell me I've ruined the surprise. He would kill me-"

Adrianna shook her head, the last remains of her heart shattering in her chest.

"He asked you to bring me up here, remember," she whispered. "He knew I'd see the boxes."

And then it hit her. That's why he'd had Mike bring her to his penthouse and not straight to her apartment. To get her stuff out of his place.

Wiping away fresh tears, she got up again, determined to do this one thing right by him. She would erase any trace of herself from his life if that's what he needed.

"Is there a phone here?"

"There's a landline in the library."

"And the library is where?"

This was only the second time she'd ever been to his penthouse and back then she'd only seen his living room and kitchen. There was so much left to discover, not only about this penthouse but about the man himself as well. There were so many doors she hadn't yet opened…and now, they would remain closed, forever.

She swallowed back a lump as she shrugged off Lucian's jacket, draped it over the couch and followed Xavier, trying to keep it together just a little bit longer.

When Xavier finally stopped, she was standing in front of massive floor-to-ceiling bookcases that lined the penthouse's entire back wall. Before she'd met Lucian, she'd thought no one was such a lover of literature as her. He'd proven her wrong. The polished light wood contained easily thousands of volumes. You would need at least three lifetimes to read every single one of the books he owned. No doubt most of them were rare, given the number of heavily tooled leather bindings, and the gold inlay on their spines which gleamed in the soft light Xavier had flicked on.

"The phone's right here," he said, standing beside a sleek desk, his finger tapping the phone as if she would miss it otherwise. "I'll give you some privacy. I'll be in the living room if you need me."

She gave him a little nod and dialed information to get some numbers of moving companies. It was only after calling three of those numbers that she realized it was four in the morning and none of them would be open already. She would've thought about this sooner if she'd been running on full capacity, but she was already hanging on by a thread as it was.

"Reception," a chipper voice said on the other end of the line. "This is Elisabeth."

"Hi," Adrianna started, trying to sound somewhat human and kind. "I'm calling from mister Nox' penthouse-"

"Yes, I can see that, miss Salvatore," the woman said, surprising her. They knew her name? "Mister Nox told us you'd be moving in," she answered her unspoken question. "Congratulations."

A drop fell on Lucian's desk.

 _Don't. Break. Down._

"Actually, there's been a change of plans," she croaked. "Could you call the moving company back in the morning?"

There was a short, loaded silence before the woman said equally kind, "Of course, miss."

"Thank you," she whispered, grateful she didn't ask any questions. She couldn't handle questions. "Please, have them come over as soon as they're open. I'll pay extra to rush things." She gave her credit card information, which she thankfully knew by heart, and waited for the woman to finish writing everything down.

"I'll make it happen, miss. If there's anything else I can do for you, you know where to find me."

"Thank you, Elisabeth."

"You're welcome, miss."

She hung up, groaning when she remembered she'd wanted to ask to call her a cab as well. Picking up the receiver again, her finger hovered over the _reception_ -button…when a little _ding_ stopped her cold.

 _The elevator._

Her body trembling again, she froze. He was here. She felt it with an inner sense she couldn't even begin to describe. It wasn't fear or dread, just a marrow-deep awareness that he was close by.

And angry.

" _Where is she_?!"

Lucian's deep baritone came through the door and into her bones like a sound she'd heard a thousand times before, soothing her even as it kick-started her pulse.

Dear God, she would miss that voice.

She couldn't make out Xavier's muffled response, but whatever he'd said, it hadn't calmed Lucian down.

 _"Get out!"_

She didn't hear the elevator move, but she knew Xavier would've gotten out of there as quickly as he could. Lucian's anger was palpable in every word he spoke and it wouldn't be wise to cross him right now.

Closing her eyes, she reinforced the walls inside of her-the ones he'd torn down without effort- praying they wouldn't crack.

Determined, she took a deep, shaking breath and then forced her body to move.

By the time she walked into the living room again, Lucian was already throwing back a glass of amber liquid. He stood with his back to her, looking out over the city through the wall of windows. She could see ever sharp line of his back, his muscles straining against the fabric. His shoulders were just as rigid, moving up and down forcefully.

She knew Lucian had heard her, but he didn't acknowledge her presence. The only give-away was the fact that the longer she stood there, the tenser his body seemed to get.

The silence stretched, weighing the room.

She couldn't take this.

She had to say _something_.

When she finally found her voice, it came out in a cool, business-like tone even though her heart was being torn apart. Walking away from Lucian, getting banned from his life, would be the hardest thing she'd ever have to endure, but she would endure it. Without tears. She wouldn't make him feel even worse than he was already feeling, she wouldn't piss him off even more. She would say goodbye and get out of his life without making a scene. He deserved that much.

"I can carry two boxes out of here tonight, maybe more if you let Xavier help me. Although I won't get more than three in a cab. I made arrangements for the rest to be-"

"You want to leave?" he said evenly at the skyline, his strong fingers clutching his empty glass tighter.

The question took her aback for a second, almost cracking the façade she was trying so hard to keep up. Of course she didn't _want_ to leave. Ever. "Isn't that why you had Mike bring me here? To get my stuff out?"

With a sharp tap, the glass was snapped down on the metal-and-glass console next to him and then, he turned to face her.

The sight of him hit her hard.

The angles of his sharp face were tight, his jaw rigid, the sensual curve of his lips firmed into an unyielding line as his grey eyes took her in. His dark hair looked as if he'd been running his fingers through it repeatedly, the longer strands falling over his forehead in sexy disarray. His light granite tie was was still knotted, but the knot now hung low and the top button of his dress shirt was undone, exposing the golden column of his throat. He'd rolled up his sleeves, displaying powerful, veined forearms.

He was dressed like a businessman, but the animal wildness in his gaze betrayed another side of him, a side that should scare her.

"You think I'm kicking you out?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

Lucian's jaw went rigid, as if his teeth were clenched hard enough to shatter steel. " _Why wouldn't I_?!" Pure, white-hot anger rolled off of him in waves. Like he wanted to tear something apart with his bare hands. And, since he didn't let her leave, the only thing in his path at the moment was her.

"You don't want me here, Lucian. Look at you. You're furious with me-"

"Fuck yes, I'm furious!" His even tone vanished, replaced with one that sounded like razors over shattered glass. "You never fucking listen, do you Adrianna?!"

He didn't wait for her to answer.

"Did you not hear me back in the park when I told you to keep your mouth shut?! Or did you just choose to ignore me?!"

"Back in the park? Why are you bringing up-"

"My lawyer would've gotten you off!" he barked as he took a step towards her, his eyes so dark they appeared black. "They had nothing, Adrianna! Not a single fucking piece of concrete evidence! So, explain to me why the fuck you would confess!"

She watched him, unblinking as he stood there, his face flushed and hard. This time, he expected her to answer…but all words had left her. That's why he was angry? Because she'd confessed?

 _Of course,_ a little voice in her head sighed. _He thinks you're innocent. He thinks you confessed to a crime you didn't commit. He doesn't know what you did. What you are. He doesn't-_

"Answer me, woman!"

She drew in a sharp breath, for a small second considering to keep him in the dark. Rellix had wiped her slate clean, she could walk away. But then, she'd be living a lie. And far worse, so would he. He had every right to know who he thought he loved, who he would be spending his life with. So, even though telling him the truth would rob her of that love and of any future with him, she heard herself whisper brokenly, "Lucian…I confessed because it's true. All of it. I killed them."

"So?!"

"So?" she frowned."No, I don't think you heard me, I _killed_ them."

"I heard you Salvatore, I just don't give a fuck!"

 _What?!_

"It was you or them!"

She sniffed, running a hand through her curls. "Is that what you think? That it was self-defense?"

"It was!"

"No, it wasn't!" She yelled back, her temper snapping. He was in denial, grasping at every straw, but he needed to hear her, he needed to know what had happened. It was the only way to protect him from making this mistake. From continuing to love her.

"It wasn't self-defense, Lucian. I wish it had been, I wish it with all my heart, but it wasn't! Those people-"

"People?!" He stalked to the couch and grabbed a small stack of files from on top of the cushions. She recognized the folders. He'd taken those from the police station.

"These _things_ you were going to give up your future for were barely human, Adrianna!" He barked before she could say anything, grabbing the first file and throwing it at her feet, "Cindy Jones! She was a prostitute before she met David Moore-" He threw a second file on the ground, pictures spilling out of the manila folder. "David had been in an out of jail since he was eighteen, mostly for petty crimes until he found out how much cash there was in sex-trafficking! He started with refugee women, promising them a future and instead selling them like cattle! And then, he teamed up with Cindy and their combined depravity gave them the marvelous idea to focus on children instead! Much more money there! They even held online auctions on the dark web!"

Adrianna's stomach turned.

"Jack Richards-" he snarled, the third file hitting the floor. "-was a hired gun, murdering anyone for the right price! Before you stopped him, he was suspected of a hundred and eighty murders, at least _half_ of them women and children! And those are only the ones whose bodies they were able to identify! You think Rodchenko does a number on his victims?! You have no idea what this fuck did! I'll spare you the goddamn details, but let's just say he knows his chemistry! And then, there's this monster-" File number four touched her feet. "Patrick Williams! He raped and tortured a thirteen-year-old girl when he was seventeen and got off on a technicality! After that, he felt untouchable, raping his way through North-America! And he _was_ untouchable! Until you!" Lucian took another step towards her, something dark crossing his features as he snarled, "What do you think he had planned for _you_ when Richards gave the order to _play with you a little_?"

Adrianna stood frozen, looking from Lucian to the files at her feet. He sounded so reasonable, she almost believed that she should be forgiven for what she'd done.

"You're right," she whispered, softly shaking her head. "These people were more monster than human…but that doesn't justify me turning into a monster as well."

He slammed his fist against one of her boxes, making it smash into the ground with a loud thump. "Goddammit, Adrianna! Why can't you cut yourself some fucking slack?!"

"Because I didn't know any of this, Lucian! This wasn't justice being served!I didn't know what they'd done and yet, I _slaughtered_ them! I got out of that trunk, shot the men in the backseat with their own guns and beat the guy, who I thought had killed you, to death with my bare hands! My _bare hands_ , Lucian!"

Her fingers brushed over her knuckles and she could see a little flicker of comprehension dawn on Lucian's face. He was remembering the pink discoloration he'd seen on her knuckles in the tub, putting the pieces together in his mind.

"Cara," She could hear him put in an effort to keep his voice kind, even though he was clearly still furious. "You were fighting for your life. You weren't thinking."

"That's just the thing, I _was_ ," she remembered vividly, seeing herself in that trunk again, listening to her captors talking. "I _was_ thinking, Lucian. Before I did anything, my mind went through every scenario possible. I knew I could wait for the car to stop in front of a red light and _then_ make my move! I could've disarmed one of them once I was in the backseat, held their leader at gunpoint and make them release me without firing a single shot. I knew that and yet, I did what I did…and, God help me, I liked it."

"Baby-" Lucian stepped forward, reaching for her. She backed up quickly, triggering a frustrated sound from his beautiful lips. She _wanted_ to feel him, take comfort in his touch, but she couldn't. She had to keep it together. She had to make him understand.

"You need to hear this, Lucian! I'm not the woman you think I am! I'm not the woman you want!"

"Stop it!" His voice was coarse, a barely contained roar. "You are everything I-"

"Did you not just hear me?! I _liked_ killing, Lucian!"

He scrubbed a hand over his face and cursed. "They were going to kill you!"

"You keep saying that like self-preservation was what drove me! It wasn't! I didn't care whether or not I got out of that car alive, Lucian! Hell, if I did, I wouldn't have shot the driver while we were going two hundred miles an hour!"

As she spoke, she saw Lucian's face morph into the embodiment of pure rage, his teeth baring as he listened.

"All I cared about was making them pay for killing you!" she went on. "Making them hurt! Bleed! Beg for their miserable little lives! Does that sound like someone you want in your life?! Like someone who deserves you?!"

Lucian fists trembled by his side, his nostril flaring…but he didn't answer her. Not that he had to. She knew the answer. Of course he didn't want her in his life. He saw her now. She could see it in his narrow eyes. He finally saw her for what she truly was.

 _Leave. Now._ The heartbroken voice was right. She should go. If she stood there any longer, she would break down and she didn't want to do that. Not in front of him. _A clean break._

Gathering ever last ounce of strength she had left, she turned away from her beautiful man and kept her watering eyes on the elevator. All she had to do was make it there and then-

"That's why your back is bruised."

The words were spoken softly, but there was a simmering, cold venom to it, a quiet rage that chilled her to the bone and made her stop in her tracks.

"You went through the windshield, didn't you?"

She closed her eyes, feeling a traitorous tear escape. "Yes."

Her answer tripped a growl from him, a growl she felt all the way down to her core.

Wiping her cheek clean, she turned on her heels, frowning. "That's all you heard?! That I made the car crash while I was still in it? I just told you what I did, that I'm a monster and you-"

"You're not a monster, Adrianna!" Lucian's voice lowered dangerously. "But I swear to the gods, I will show you a fucking monster if you ever try to kill yourself again!"

Looking at his fierce expression, Adrianna had no doubt that he would make good on his threat.

"I didn't try to kill myself," she croaked. "Not…necessarily. I just didn't care whether I lived or died. I didn't care about anything but revenge." She sighed. "There's a darkness in me Lucian and when I saw you get shot, when I thought you were dead-" She shook her head, swallowing hard. "You have no idea what I went through when-"

"I have no idea?! I saw the car, Adrianna!"

Her heart stopped. "What?"

"I saw the goddamned car! After Rellix saved me, I went to find you! Instead I found a burned out car, buried in the side of a fucking bridge!"

Pain suddenly flooded his eyes, a pain she recognized too well.

"There was a body of a woman! She had black hair like yours and she was wearing your fucking engagement ring!"

Tears flooded her eyes. He'd thought she was dead? When he'd said that he'd thought he'd lost her, she'd assumed he'd meant because she'd been kidnapped, not that she'd died. Her heart broke as she realized he'd gone through the same thing she had.

"She was the driver. She took the ring when they drugged me," she explained in a little voice. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to feel forced to talk about it, although now I wish I'd pushed harder! All that guilt over nothing?!"

"It wasn't nothing! I-"

"The point is-" he cut her off. "-I understand exactly how you felt, because _I_ felt it, too! That darkness, that rage, the need to punish _someone_! It overtakes you, it becomes your single desire, your sole reason to stay alive!"

She nodded, feeling more tears well up in her eyes.

"It's a reaction to a situation! The same reaction I had! It doesn't make you a bad person!"

"Doesn't it?! I took an oath to protect and serve and I killed them! What does that say about me?"

He exhaled roughly. "That you're a survivor!"

"Again, it had nothing to do with surviving! I just wanted revenge!"

Lucian let out an exasperated sigh, his arms crossing his chest, displaying the raw power of his ripped body to perfection. "Do you remember what you said to me that night I almost beat that man to death?! The man who'd tried to strangle you?!"

"No."

"You said I was just angry, that I'd lost control and that this didn't make me a monster, but a human being! And that's exactly what I'm saying to you know! You were angry, you lost control! That doesn't make you a monster, it makes you human!"

She let out a strangled cry, her tears now flowing freely. There was no way she could hold them back. He was tearing through every wall again, getting to her heart. She knew that what she'd done was inexcusable and yet, his words were getting to her. Somewhere deep down inside, she could feel something shift, something starting to forgive. But how could she forgive herself without losing everything she stood for? Everything her family stood for? Fought for?

"What happened in that car doesn't define you, Adrianna!" Lucian continued, his expression still frighteningly intense. "You were overtaken with anger and grief! It was _one_ moment in time when you lost control!"

"What if it wasn't? What if that _was_ me in that car? The real me? What if I'm…dark."

"You're not dark. You're still you. You're still the woman I love."

"You still love me?" The question was out of her mouth before she could stop herself, disbelief widening her eyes.

"You were _worried_ about that?!"

When she just blushed, his lips pressed together in a thin line.

"Goddammit, Salvatore. How fickle do you think I am?!"

That trace of pain was back in his eyes and before she could think better of it, she closed the distance between them, the need to sooth him greater than anything else.

Wrapping her arms around his tense body, she half expected him to shrug of her touch, but instead, she felt him relax against her, his arms instantly locking around her body.

"I'm sorry," she whispered against his chest. "I should've told you from the start. I just thought I would lose you if I did. And I couldn't bare it."

She could feel his embrace tightening. "I'm not leaving you, Cara."

She closed her eyes, her heart somehow feeling lighter.

Maybe not all was lost.

* * *

Hades held her close, trying to slow his pulse, to get himself under control.

He'd ordered Mike to drive her home so he could get her attackers' files, but that was only partly why. Most of all, he'd wanted to put some distance between himself and Adrianna, some time. He'd hoped it would help him calm down. It hadn't. The second he'd seen her again, his rage had flared up, more destructive than ever, burning through his veins.

And that was before he'd known the whole story.

Now, his blood was drumming hard in his temples, rage ruling all but a sliver of his mind. He wasn't sure what angered him more; her misplaced guilt over killing those animals, the fucked up notion that he would leave her over this shit or the complete disregard for own her life.

No, scratch that. He knew damn well what had pissed him off most.

His jaw clenching, he held her even tighter, fighting the images that wreaked havoc in his mind. The state that car had been in… If she hadn't gone through the windshield…

 _It's a goddamn miracle she didn't die._

"Sweetheart," she whispered against his chest. "It's getting a little hard to breath over here."

Hades could barely hear her, his senses clouded by fury _and something else, something far more dangerous. Desire. He wanted her. Not just because he loved her, but because he wanted to punish her. He wanted to fuck her, posses her, bury himself in that body of hers and show her who she belonged to._

Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply, trying to collect himself, but her scent only coaxed his beast out further.

 _Mine._

As if burned, Hades backed away from her inviting heat, his demon snarling obscenities.

"Lucian?"

She looked so little, so fragile, as if one wrong word or touch would break her. He'd never seen her like that. And it was all those fuckers' fault. He felt his nails dig into his palms at the thought of those bastards. Reading their files had built his anger up to a point he could barely think straight. As he'd read about their crimes, he'd imagined them doing the same depraved things to his girl.

Torturing her.

Beating her.

 _Raping_ her.

Lucian's gut clenched at the thought, dread mixing with the acid burn already swimming in the pit of his stomach.

"I understand that you're angry-"

"No, you really don't." The words rushed out of him, a coarse rasp in his throat. There was no way she knew what he was thinking, what the demon was demanding he'd do…

His head swimming with erotic images, he strode past her, his shoes clicking across the floor as he made a break for the elevator.

"You don't have to leave. This is your place. I'll go."

He turned on his heels, pinning her down with a vicious glare. "Salvatore, if you take one step out off this fucking penthouse, I will hunt you down and make you regret it! Do you hear me?!"

She blushed even deeper, her breathing coming out labored, her chest pushing against her dress. His anger shouldn't have that effect on her. Fuck, it shouldn't be turning her on.

"Lucian, I-"

"Don't argue with me right now, woman!"

There was a loaded pause, the only sound that of their breathing and his heartbeat thumping in his ears.

His heart wasn't the only thing thumping.

His dick had a fucking pulse at that point, his erection painful, every shred of fabric against it feeling like sheer torture.

When Adrianna finally broke the silence, he could hear the change in her voice, the heat that laced every word.

"You're angry with me, yes?"

"Yes!"

"Then vent that anger," she whispered, slowly closing the small distance that still separated them. "Use me to feel better."

"No!" The refusal cut deep, like restraining a part of himself with barbed wire. It had no effect, though, didn't even slow her down, those hips swaying as she looked at him through her lashes. The tension was so thick it was hard to breathe, his lungs aching as he tried to pull enough air into them. He could feel the need radiating off her, sensed the hunger tightening his muscles and sharpening his focus on every response of his body to hers.

"Stop, Adrianna!" he hissed. "Not like this!"

"Why not? Because you'll hurt me?"

"Yes!"

Her blue eyes glistened on his, full of trust and sweetness. His hunger stirred in response.

"You don't believe me?! You have no idea what I'm feeling right now, Salvatore!"

"Yes, I do. You're angry-"

"Furious!"

"-and hurt."

"Yes!"

"Because I lied. And because I almost-"

She trailed off, but he spit out the word she seemed ashamed to speak. " _Died_! Because you almost _died_ , Salvatore!"

"I know," she said, pressing those warm, soft hands of hers against him, brushing them over his abdomen, his chest, his shoulders. "I know what almost happened. But I'm here now."

Scowling, his fingers found those dark curls, locking onto them in an iron grip that forced her head back. She looked up at him, wide-eyed, those plumb lips parted just a sliver.

"For how long, Salvatore?" he snarled. "How long can I possible hold on to you when you make these self-destructive decisions at every goddamn turn?! Rodchenko, Ryder's thief, shooting the fucking driver of a speeding car _you're in_?! How long before I lose you?!"

The fury radiating off him had made eons-old beings tremble at his feet and yet, this little human kept staring up at him, unafraid. And that right there was the fucking problem.

"You want me to fuck my anger out of me?! Now?! Do you _ever_ recognize the danger you're in?!"

"You won't hurt me."

He swung an icy look at her. "You think so, huh?"

"Yes, I do," she said, unwavering. "At least, not any more than I can handle."

His eyes flashed at her provocation, but his voice didn't betray the desire she aroused as he barked, "Enough of this! Go to bed!"

"Not without you."

"Now!"

"I don't even know where the bedroom is, so-"

In one rough move, he let go of her hair and clasped his fingers around her wrist. He saw red as he dragged her with him; across the living room, up the stairs, all the way down his hallway. He scarcely registered her continued protest or the fact that she repeatedly asked him to slow down. He even felt her almost trip a few times, but he never eased his stride. He was getting her to his damn bedroom and that would be the end of this mind-game she was playing!

When he finally reached the right door, he almost flung her against it, letting go of her as he jabbed his finger in her face.

"Go in, get in my bed and sleep, Adrianna!"

"Where are you going?"

"Out! I'm going to find a fight or get hammered and then maybe in the morning, I can deal with you! Not right now! Not tonight! Not without losing my goddamn _fuck_." His body jerked wildly, breath slamming into his lungs. She'd found his erection-not that it was a difficult task, he was harder than he'd ever been- and was now rubbing her soft palm over his length, the friction passing with aching clarity through the second skin of his pants.

He glared at her, his palms pressed against the door behind her, boxing her in. It was all he could do to keep upright, to stop himself from burying those hands in her skin…

"Stop it," he ground out harshly. "Christ, Adrianna. You don't know what you're doing."

"Yes, I do." Her eyes were glittering at him and immediately, he felt that pull. Something hardwired inside him craved her with every fiber of his being and he knew he couldn't fight it for long. Not when she looked at him with that deep desperation.

He exhaled harshly, grabbing the hand that was still on his cock and pinning it against the door. "What do you want from me, Adrianna?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she breathed.

He growled. "If you want an orgasm, go in that room and make yourself come."

"I want _you_ to do it."

He laughed and it was a horrible, humorless sound. "Me? You think I'd let you come if I got my hands on you? You really don't grasp the concept of punishment, do you, Adrianna?!"

Her pupils dilated, drowning him in more blue.

"Go inside. Lock the fucking door. We'll talk in the morning." There was a plea in his voice beneath all the anger and he hated it. It meant he was getting too lost, too desperate. He could feel the strain in his own body, the tension pulled tight and ready to snap. And she felt it too.

Her hands lifted to his neck, her fingers kneading into the knotted muscles.

His voice came deep and low. "You will regret this."

"I'm scared."

Her confession knocked the wind right out of him. He'd wanted her to fear him, to back off and see the danger, but having it work had the unexpected side affect of heartbreak. Because the truth was, he didn't want her to fear him. Not really. And yet, he found himself groaning,

"Good. You should be."

She swallowed hard, softly shaking her head. "Not of you. Of me."

His chest tightened at the tears that gathered in her eyes.

"Please, Lucian," she croaked, pulling at every fucking string. "I'm angry. Scared. Confused. I don't know who I am anymore…but you do. You see me better than I see myself."

Her hand cupped his cheek, brushing her fingers over his skin. His legs weakened at her touch, his limbs feeling heavy, his resistance beginning a slow meltdown that started in his core.

"I want you to take me until I can see myself again like you see me. Until I can think of myself as anything other than a killer." She looked down, her hand dropping along with her eyes. "God, that sounds awful."

 _The hell it does._

He tilted her chin up with his forefinger, forcing her gaze back on his. "You need comfort from me. I can't give you that. Not right now. Not tonight."

Because all he had to offer was rage. Pure, animalistic rage. Even as he watched her tears fall, that burning emotion was still front and center, running through his blood in destructive jets. Which is also why he didn't see the kiss coming. He was so busy trying to keep himself together that he reacted too late.

The seal of Adrianna's mouth over his was tight and greedy, laced with a wildness he hadn't tasted since they'd been together in their dreams. Her tongue stroked fast and hard into his mouth, licking deep with devastating sexuality. She kissed him for an anguished eternity. Then again, maybe it took only a fraction of a second for the hook to set. Lucian couldn't be sure. All he knew was the warm crush of her skin against his chest, her soft tongue thrusting in his mouth, the beat of her heart. All he knew was the longing he felt for her.

 _Mine,_ he thought again, selfish and utterly savage with the idea.

He wanted her-all of her-and it was too late to stop it now. The beast was too far gone to be merciful.

This kiss had damned them both.

Letting go of her lips, he watched her. Her messy hair framed her flushed face, her lips were already swollen from his rough treatment and her eyes were pressed closed as she swayed dreamily.

"Look at me, Adrianna." His voice was as animalistic as he felt, but she still listened to his command without a moment's hesitation.

"I love you," he roared. "Do you hear me?"

She nodded, breathing, "Yes."

"Good. Remember that, 'cause I'm about to fuck you like I don't."

He had her through the door and on his bed in a flash of movement.

The second she touched his sheets, every dirty fantasy he'd had about having her in his bed coursed through his mind. He wanted her on her back, riding him, sucking him, wanted her in his mouth again so he could lick her up… But there would be time for all of that later. Now was about raw sex. He just needed her under him, to bury himself inside of her and make her feel who she was fucking with, in every sense of the word.

Biting her lip, she sat up, reaching for his shirt. Before she could undo his first button, he grabbed her wrists, his glare warning her off. She was not in control and it would remain that way until he decided otherwise. The frame of mind he was in right now…she'd never be in control again. She made stupid fucking decisions when she was in control.

An image of that car popped up in his mind again and next thing he knew, he was grabbing her by the waist and flipping her over, folding her facedown over the edge of the bed.

With rough hands, he pushed her skirt over her hips, exposing her perfect, bare ass.

"Gods," he growled, squeezing her curves. "You were built to drive me out of my fucking mind, weren't you?"

She made a stream of sounds in response, but he could tell she was as lost as he was, no longer able to form a coherent thought.

Cupping the back of her knee, he pushed her leg up onto the bed, opening her up for him. She was glistening, hot and ready, aching to be filled.

 _More._

No longer fighting the beast, he grabbed the delicate lace buttons at the back of her dress and tore. She jolted underneath him, whimpering as he pushed the torn material over her arms, to her waist, leaving it there.

As quickly as he could, he undid his pants, sliding his underwear down with it in one smooth move. She heard what he was doing, he could tell by the way her fingers clutched the sheets tighter in anticipation. A sadistic part of him realized that the worst punishment he could give her was to walk away right now and leave her like this, but there was no way he could do that. Not because he couldn't be so cruel. No, he could be far crueler, anyone would testify to that fact. He simply _wasn't able_ to move one fucking inch away from her.

"I wanted you completely naked," he said, his voice rough gravel in his throat. "But there's no fucking time."

Leaving his pants around his knees, he ran his hands up her spine, only stopping to grab hold of her shoulders.

His cock lay hot and thick against her, her silken heat coating his head along with his own pre-cum. She was spread for the taking, ready, so fucking perfect.

"Remember, you wanted this."

He plunged himself into her body before she could respond.

He heard her gasp at his powerful entry, and her slick heat grabbed onto him, pulsating as she instantly came. He froze in place, squeezing his eyes shut as he absorbed her orgasm, feeling her core stroke him.

"You get that one," he bit out when he could speak again. " _One_. Because I didn't make te rules clear. But from now on, you don't come until I tell you to. Is that understood?"

She whimpered and he grabbed her hips, holding her down as he fucked his way deeper into her.

 _Tight. Creamy. Jesus._

"Understood?" he ground out.

She nodded, her fingers clawing at the comforter as he sank farther into her. Her sex sucked greedily at his cock, her ass bouncing each time he pounded into her, taking her harder than ever before.

A low sound shot through the room, growing louder and louder, until he realized the growl was coming from him. His lips peeled off his teeth as his muscles churned and his hips thrashed against her. He fucked urgently, deeply, need overwhelming him. Drenched in sweat, head spinning, mindless, breathless, he took everything she was offering him. Took it and demanded more.

"Don't you dare come, Adrianna," he ordered, feeling her tighten around him.

She groaned, burying her face in the sheets, her nails almost ripping through them.

With a wordless snarl, his fingers dug into her shoulder again, keeping her body in place as he pushed his cock in, trying to get even deeper.

"You're. So. Hard." she whispered breathlessly between thrusts, biting down on that lip again.

Her words lit off a violent shaking in him, one that dimmed his vision and sent pulses down his arms and legs. The taking of her consumed him, stripped him of whatever civilized lid there was on his instincts. He was raw, wild.

Needing to feel more of her, he blanketed her, his hard body covering her soft back, trapping her beneath him. His hands pushed underneath her, cupping her swollen nipples, kneading them with demanding fingers.

 _Soft. Perfect. Warm._

"Fuck," he bit out, his palms tightening on her breasts. "You're making me come."

She urged him on, his name a horse moan leaving her lips.

"You want that, huh? You want me to come hard for you?"

She nodded, a deep sound emerging from her throat.

"You can't come with me."

"Lucian!" She clawed at the sheets in protest, her body trying to arch, but his weight on top of her made that impossible.

"No, Adrianna," he snarled, driving his cock in deeper, harder, hitting her cervix. "Do. Not. _Fuck_."

He came violently. He couldn't stop it. Growling in her hair, he surged deep, erupting with a vicious curse, pumping into her, his orgasm going on and on. His body shook violently with the force of his climax, his teeth sinking into her shoulder, marking her as his.

* * *

It was too much. Adrianna couldn't see, couldn't think. Her nails raked across the comforter, instinctively trying to pull her away from the flood of sensations, away from the spurting cock still stroking her languidly, making her take more, feel more, when she couldn't possibly stand it. Lucian wouldn't let her get away, though. He laid draped on her back, keeping her right where she was, trapped and possessed, a willing prisoner.

"I filled you up."

He didn't have to tell her. She knew. She could feel his cum warming her, coating her.

"Please," she moaned, desperately.

"Please what?"

The bastard knew damn well what she'd meant. "Please, let me come."

"You already did."

If she had the strength, she would've rolled her eyes. Her first orgasm had hit her hard, though it hadn't been completely unexpected. She'd been craving him ever since he'd taken her virginity, always on the brink of an orgasm whenever he was near. So, it was no wonder that she'd fallen over the edge the second he'd pushed inside her.

Or _slammed_ inside her, to be more accurate.

There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she would be sore in the morning, but she didn't mind. Not at all. What she _did_ mind however, was the fact that that warm, electric tension inside of her had nowhere to go and it kept building with each slide of him inside of her. Even now, even though he was no longer rock hard, the friction of his strokes kept her on the edge of sweet release with no way to get to it. It was torture. Sweet, heavenly torture.

And she was sure that was the point.

Lucian was still angry. She could feel it in every thrust, ever bite, ever word he spoke.

She felt his rogue tongue lick her spine, making her tremble and throb.

"Time to taste you."

Before she could process that, she was on her back and he held her pinned at her thighs.

 _Oh, God, no. He's not going to-_

She screamed when his mouth descended on her throbbing sex, his tongue licking leisurely.

 _He can't expect me not to come when he's doing that, right?_

She looked down and met his eyes, the message in them clear.

He _did_ expect it.

Demanded it, even.

The velvety strokes over her clit had her gasping, the need for an orgasm so fierce she was drenched in sweat, her legs vibrating from the strain.

"Please," she begged hoarsely, squeezing her heavy breasts, the tips swollen and tender from the long minutes he'd spent pinching them as he'd taken her from behind.

His silky hair brushed over her skin, her thighs, his stubble making her curse his name. Out loud. Her profanity only seemed to spur him on though. He circled her clit, then rimmed the trembling opening below.

Twisting on her side, she tried to get away from the torture of his mouth even as she craved more. But Lucian had total control over her body now, keeping her right were she was.

At his mercy.

Always on the edge but never falling over.

"Oh, God, make me come, damn you!"

When she got no reaction, she pushed her hand between her legs, desperate to get herself off.

He slapped her hand away before it could get to where she needed it.

Mumbling obscenities she didn't even realize she knew, she tried another approach, grabbing his head, holding him to her as she lifted her hips to his mouth, trying to set the pace, take over the reigns. But Lucian was too strong, restraining her easily, his hot breath never leaving her sensitive flesh. He sucked gently, moving slowly, along the length of her cleft, giving just enough pressure to drive her insane.

"You fucking bastard."

His roar sent goose bumps racing across her skin. And then, as if to punish her for her outburst, he thrust his tongue inside of her.

"Fuck!"

He cupped her butt and lifted her, angling her into his working mouth. His tongue fucked her swiftly, the shallow plunges into her trembling sex driving her hard towards explosion. He could feel it, his growl vibrating against her clit.

She ignored the warning, clutching at his hair, moaning, digging her heels into the mattress to rock against his lips. Her legs spread even wider, giving him limitless access. He devoured her, so hungry and greedy. She couldn't breath from the pleasure. The frenzied licking against sensitive tissues overloaded her senses and the sight of him only pushed her deeper into the abyss. His dark hair between her thighs, the beauty of his biceps hardened from supporting her weight…

Another low moan broke from her dry throat and just when her toes started to curl, he was gone.

She gave a clenched-teeth scream of frustration.

"It's hard, isn't it?" he snarled, unbuttoning his shirt with rough fingers. "Feeling so powerless?"

She just glared at him.

"Welcome to my fucking world, Adrianna," He kicked off his shoes, pants and underwear, never taking his glaring eyes off her. "A world where the woman I love insists on hunting down monsters who can take her away from me in a heartbeat."

As she took in his naked-and once again _hard_ -gloriousness, she felt an apology trying to slip from her lips, but she bit it back. She wouldn't apologize for who she was, no matter the potential reward. She was a detective, a Salvatore. Hunting monsters is what she did.

He must've seen the rebellion in her eyes, because _his_ flashed with a fresh surge of anger as he grabbed the bunched up fabric around her waist and tore it down and off her body, throwing what was left of her dress over his shoulder.

Like a predator moving in on his prey, he lowered himself onto the bed and over her, crouching like an animal above her trembling body. The air around him seemed to pulse, his raw fury an unseen force that pushed her deeper into the mattress.

Her thighs yielded to him, opening as she held his wild gaze. She was wet, aching for him and even though she knew there would be no release for her, she still wanted him back inside. She felt empty without him, cold deep in her core.

With an animal grunt of lust, he came down on her, positioning his pelvis between her thighs and spreading them wider with his knees. The thick head of Lucian's erection nudged against her sex and then, with one deep thrust, he impaled her, sliding as deep as he could go. She took every last inch of him, gripping him like a fist.

Lucian hissed sharply as he withdrew and plunged back in, filling her to the hilt.

"Yes!" she coaxed him, moving with him in a tempo that was anything but gentle. "God, Lucian! Yes!"

He just growled and fucked her harder, those grey eyes holding hers as he claimed every part of her. Her body, her heart, her soul. Everything was his.

She tried to ignore the thrumming warning that pounded through her veins as he took her, didn't want to do what her heart was telling her to do, because she knew there was the risk that he would leave…but she knew she had to do it. For him.

Tension coiling inside her, she stroked his rigid jaw, her fingers tracing down to play across his parted lips before she moaned as loudly as she could,

"Stop."

Lucian got stock-still, staring down at her, his expression a mixture of anger, confusion and desire.

"I want you to stop," she repeated, her voice strong.

His face seemed to go a bit more ashen beneath its already pale complexion and then, he pulled out of her and moved to leave the bed, doing as she'd demanded.

Just like she knew he would.

Feeling empty and cold without him, she snapped up, grabbing his arm and tugging him back down on top of her. He caught his fall, his hands dipping into the mattress beside her head, making him hover over her again.

The dark anger that etched Lucian's face then should've had her fleeing from his bed…but damn her if it didn't drive her need even higher.

"Are you actually _toying with me_ right now?"

She licked her lips, her throat dry.

" _Do you think that is wise, woman_?"

She shook her head, not able to form words when he spoke to her in that cold, borderline vicious tone.

" _Then why do it_?!"

She swallowed hard and somehow managed to say, "As a precautionary measure."

His brows went low, like a thundercloud about to burst.

"For tomorrow morning," she explained. "See, when you wake up, you're going to find some way to hate yourself for this."

His brows relaxed a bit.

"Even though I pushed you to it, even though I'm _loving_ every second of it, _you're_ going to regret it. Because you'll tell yourself you lost control and took something I never offered. But now, if that ridiculous thought were to cross your mind, you'll remember _this_ moment. The moment I asked you to stop and you did, without a single question or objection. You stopped. Because despite what you think, you are _always_ in control of yourself when you're with me. Even when you let your deepest, darkest parts of their leash. I'm always safe with you."

She could see his fingers curl into the sheets, fisting them tightly as he watched her through sharp eyes. He watched her like that for the longest time, until he finally hissed,

"You alone have the power to destroy me, you know."

His words felt like a slap in the face and a soothing kiss to her heart all at once.

"I won't," she whispered, her hand cupping his cheek sweetly.

His jaw tightened even more under her touch, the skin drawn sharp over his features.

"If you ever try to hurt yourself again-"

"Never," she promised, meaning it from the bottom of her heart. "I'm sorry, Lucian."

Something in his gaze shifted at her apology and even though he drove into her roughly and took her just as hard and fast as he had before, there was now an underlying gentleness to his movements, an intimacy she'd been denied during her punishment. Like something as simple as a kiss. It was only when his lips took hers and his tongue plunged inside her mouth that she realized he hadn't kissed her once since they'd started making love. He did now, though. Thoroughly. As if he'd been dying for her lips.

She was already soaring toward a splintering orgasm when he hooked her knees over his shoulders and delved ever deeper inside her. He was merciless in his rhythm, a force of raw, magnificent desire meant to drive her insane.

And God, did it work.

Mindless, she twisted her head and bit into his arm. It wasn't meant to hurt him. Everything was just too intense, too much, too perfect.

"Cara," he groaned, his strokes more urgent, demanding.

She moaned in response, her nails finding his muscled behind and digging in the hard skin.

He cursed and groaned, his large body vibrating with the imminence of his release. "Milk me, baby. Come with me."

She detonated in an instant, the intensity of her orgasm so great she had to close her eyes as it overtook her. She could hear Lucian shout something above her and then go completely still as his warmth filled her belly and parts of her that were far beyond physical.

She drifted into blissfulness for a long time, her body shivering, her nerves sparking against her skin. She didn't know how long she laid there, only that when she opened her eyes, Lucian was on top of her, his head resting over her heart. She stroked his hair, bathing in that moment of pure bliss. When a few minutes later, he started to move, she wrapped her legs around his hips, making little sounds of protest.

He chuckled, kissing the soft swell of her breast. "I have to move, baby. I'm too heavy for you."

Another round of protesting sounds. She couldn't speak yet. Everything was still too raw. And yet, somehow, he understood what she meant. She didn't want him to leave her. She wanted him to stay inside of her body, keep her whole.

"Okay, come here." He caged her in his arms and turned them over so she was the one lying on top of him.

"Good?"

She snuggled deeper into his chest in response, her lips pressing soft, lazy kissed against the warm skin beneath it.

"God, woman, you wreck me," he moaned, his voice tight. "I can't get enough of you."

She smiled at his soft, breathless confession…and then moaned when she felt the evidence of it growing thicker inside of her again.

"Fuck, Cara," he growled when she moved her hips in circles on top of him. She didn't know what she was doing, didn't have the experience yet, but her body knew. And right now, those circles felt _so_ right, making her back arch, her senses on high alert again.

In a flurry of movement, Lucian was back on top of her, groaning into her neck as he took over the rhythm. "Soon, I'll have you on top of me, baby. Riding me. But tonight, I'm the one driving."

She didn't protest, burying her fingers in his hair as he took the wheel.

"At some point-" he rumbled in her ear. "-you're going to have to stop me, Cara. Otherwise, you'll never get to sleep."

She gave him a little nod…but the truth was, she had no intention of ever stopping him again.


End file.
